Vendetta
by tm20
Summary: A misanthropic scientist of the Avatar program meets the Na'vi and through them, along with some humans that he meets, he slowly becomes a different person. However he gets himself into more than what he expected, alot more...
1. Chapter 1

It had nearly been six years. Nearly six years of travelling through space. Nearly six years of being away from earth. Nearly six years of talking to no one. Nearly six years of not having to put up with all the bullshit from everyone and everything around him. But it seemed like only yesterday that he left. Waking up from cryo brought back that feeling of being on earth. But that dull, boring, miserable planet that people called home was far, far away and a new world was waiting for him. He didn't know what to think of this new planet, although from stories he had heard this world was so familiar, yet so alien. A paradise that leaves you astonished, but at the same time is a nightmare. Floating in his chamber, he thought about this new career and this new world along with the changes it would bring to his life. Was joining the Avatar program the right decision?

One of the crew members came to let him out of his chamber so he could get ready to be shuttled to Pandora. He got changed and got all his gear. Already he felt uncomfortable as there were many people surrounding him. Who were these people? Scientists? Soldiers? Who cares, to him they were all assholes who he didn't want to talk to. Paying no attention to people around him, he made his way to the Valkyrie shuttle. Upon entering the shuttle he got the feeling that he was being stared at. One person after another seemed to look at him for a few seconds and then look away. This gave him the shits. He sat down and strapped in. To his right sat a young man of similar age who looked like a marine. He was dressed in military gear and seemed nervous. Shaking his legs rapidly, the young man closed his eyes, tilted his head down and mumbled as if he was praying. After everyone was seated the shuttle detached from the ISV and roared its engines as it descended towards Pandora. The g forces could be felt and it was uncomfortable as the seats were positioned sideways.

The shuttle then entered the atmosphere and made its way towards Hell's Gate. On the way, the lush Pandoran forest could be seen stretching for kilometres in every direction. There were rivers which connected to ponds and lakes with animals drinking from them while flying beasts glided above the forest canopy in groups. In the distance, large rocks floating in the air could be seen. Only if the passengers could get a glimpse of this incredible view. This is why Valkyrie shuttle pilots are considered to be incredibly lucky. As the shuttle approached Hell's Gate it was accompanied by four Scorpion gunships. The sight of a Valkyrie shuttle landing can only be described as awesome. As its thrusters rotate into the vertical position, they let out tons of thrust and bring the enormous spacecraft steadily to the ground. Inside the shuttle, people were putting on their exopacks and backpacks, getting ready to exit the shuttle. The rear doors opened, letting in the dense Pandoran air and the sunlight that these people hadn't seen for nearly six years. It blinded them, then slowly eased off to reveal a huge military base surrounded by mountains all under a blue sky.

The passengers exited the shuttle and were ordered to make their way to the main complex where they would be given a speech. Seeing how big the place was made him realize that there would be lots of people, fucken great. The last thing he wanted was to see more people. He walked into a large room and joined many others, ready to be given a speech. Once everyone had entered the room, a man walked to the front where he could be seen and heard by everyone. The room went silent and the speech started.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Pandora. My name is Colonel Damien Hilton. I am in charge of security. Now, I'm sure all of you have heard many stories about this place. That it's a "paradise". And that it's the most beautiful place you will ever see. Well let me tell you this. Whatever it is that you heard, you may just as well forget about it. This place, ladies and gentlemen, is NO paradise. It is the most dangerous place known to man. I guarantee you, that if you do not watch yourself at all hours of the day, all days of the week, all weeks of the year, then you WILL die. What we fight against on a daily basis is what you will eventually call your worst nightmare. I am certain that by the time the next shuttle arrives, some of you will be dead. If you do not want that to happen, then I suggest you listen, and listen well, to what I am about to say. We have rules here. They apply at all times. If you want to survive on Pandora, then you must obey ALL the rules ALL the time"

By now he was getting extremely bored. While everyone was paying attention to every word being said with their eyes glued to the colonel, he was looking at the floor with his head resting on one of his hands wondering when this guy was going to shut up. What did you expect? A scientist wants to hear about science, not some army tough guy giving orders. The colonel went on to explain the rules. Our young scientist started to fall asleep, bobbing his head up and down like it was a buoy on a fishing line. Once the speech had finished everyone got up to go to their dormitories. He decided to wait until everyone had left so then he could go last. He made his way to the dorms. It was a large room with many bunk beds and closets. He found his allocated bed and started to unpack his stuff. As he was unpacking his stuff, he was tapped on the shoulder. He turned around to see a girl who greeted him with a smile.

"Hey!" she said, but he stayed silent.

"You don't remember me? Haha, well it has been more than 6 years hasn't it"

He still stayed silent. He showed no emotions on his face which made the girl feel uncomfortable.

"It's me. Yuki... Yuki Kubota? We went to university together?"

He continued to be silent while trying to remember who this girl was. It took him a while but he remembered, he was in her group for a few assignments. Letting out a breath which was his poor effort at a laugh, he nodded his head slightly to signify he had remembered.

"Yeah, you remember! Wow, what a coincidence. I never thought we would meet here, on Pandora"

Still, he continued with the silence. The awkwardness was building up and it made Yuki uncomfortable.

"Well….. I'll go now. I need to finish unpacking my stuff. I guess I'll talk to you later"

Without waving his hand, or even putting it up, to show a bye he continued to unpack his stuff. What an asshole.

Before he realized it, the sun had risen past its highest point and into the afternoon. He had finished unpacking his stuff and had a walk around of the complex. He could have gone and talked to people but being the antisocial prick that he was, he chose not to. Instead, he decided to make his way down to the lab. Navigating his way through the many corridors, he finally reached the lab. It was pretty big. There were many desks with computers and littered with papers. A few of them had pictures of loved ones and places back on earth. Some chairs had lab coats hung on them. Scientists were everywhere. They could be seen talking to each other, working with data on the computers, examining specimens through microscopes and all the other usual science stuff. Our young scientist felt very lost. But this was the place that he would be spending most, if not all, of his time. Suddenly, a voice from behind him called to him.

"Hello. Can I help you with something?" said a gentle female voice. He turned around to face the woman. She was very beautiful for a middle aged woman. She had the face which made people assume straight away that she was a very kind person. With her hair untied, wearing a lab coat over her very casual clothes and a pair of blue converses, she stood in front of him waiting for a reply. Not knowing what to say, he looked around the room and then finally to the floor followed by a scratch to his forehead.

"Hey, I recognize you." said the woman.

"You're one of the new Avatar drivers aren't you? Yeah, I think I saw your photo in one of the profiles I was going through earlier today. No?" Still no reply from him.

"A bit shy eh? Hehe, it's ok. But I'm sure I saw your photo somewhere in that list. Let's have a look shall we?" She walked to her desk and picked up the list of new Avatar drivers. She flicked through the pages of profiles and came to a stop.

"Takumi Ling? Yes? Is it ok if I call you Tak? The shorter the name, the easier I remember it, hahaha."

So that's what his name was! Takumi Ling. Tak nodded his head gently and kept his head down.

"Well it's nice to meet you Tak. My name is Dr. Gillian Eileen, but you can just call me Gillian. I'm one of the head scientists around here. Well, Dr. Augustine is THE head scientist but I just help her out so I'm sort of her assistant. And you will be part of my research group. I would like you to meet the rest of the team but they seem busy at the moment so how about I introduce you to them at dinner?"

Again, Tak nodded his head in agreement.

"Good… So, would you like to go see your Avatar?"

Suddenly, Tak's eyes widened. His pupils enlarged and his heart rate rose.

"yes" he said in a calm voice

Dr. Eileen looked a bit surprised as he had finally said something. "Ok, let's go check it out." She replied.

They walked over to the amnio tanks which lit up this particular section of the lab with a blue glow. As Tak walked by, he couldn't help but to stare in amazement at the Avatars. They were so big, so blue, so alien, yet so human like. The two stopped at the last tank.

"This is yours" said Dr. Eileen. Tak could not believe what he was seeing. His very own Avatar. It was him, but it wasn't. His Avatar was slightly curled up into a ball, just like how a foetus is when inside its mother's womb. Its head was tucked in, its shoulders slightly in towards its chest, its arms and legs folded and its tail freely floating in the fluid. Dr. Eileen started to say something but Tak was paying no attention to her at all as he stared at his Avatar.

"….. I think I'll leave you two now." She said, and walked back to the busy part of the lab. Tak got a chair and sat down in front of his other half. His big, blue alien half. For the rest of the night he sat there, staring at his Avatar. When it was time to return to the dorms, he felt sad even though he would get to see his Avatar and even drive in the coming days. He made his way to the dorms for a shower and went to sleep. Lying in his bed, he thought about the things he would be doing in his Avatar in the days to come.


	2. Chapter 2

It was morning and the sun cast an orange glow into the dorms. Tetrapterons could be heard outside as they called to each other. While everyone was starting to wake up, Tak was still asleep. He had gone to bed pretty late as he couldn't get to sleep due to the excitement from seeing his Avatar for the first time. He then felt someone tapping him on the shoulder. He ignored it but it continued. Annoyed, he turned his head and opened his eyes.

"I think you should wake up"

It was Yuki smiling at him. She was already dressed and ready to head off to the dining hall for breakfast. Extremely hungry, since he didn't eat dinner the previous night, he slowly got out of bed and headed to the shower. With the water pouring over his face, he still couldn't stop thinking about his Avatar. After a nice long shower, he got our, dried himself and got changed. He then made his way to the dining hall.

The dining hall was a large room filled with long tables and seats. To one side there was a bench where the food was served. Behind it was the kitchen. People were already sitting down, eating and talking to each other. Tak made his way to the bench and got himself an adequate sized bowl of cereal along with a more than enough serving of eggs and some kind of Pandora animal meat that was cooked. He then walked over to the tables to try and find a seat. It looked like all the seats were taken, but he managed to find one on the end of a table. He was sitting all by himself. Wasting no time he ate his food. Behind him were a group of marines who took note of the fact that Tak was a scientist and that he was sitting by himself. As Tak was eating his breakfast, he felt something hit his head. He ignored it. But it happened again, he ignored it. Then it happened again, and again, and again. He turned around to see the marines with their heads down and doing a bad job of holding in their laughs. He turned back and continued with his food. The marines then got up with their food trays and dumped their rubbish onto his tray. Extremely pissed off, he removed his bowl of cereal and plate of eggs and Pandoran meat from his tray and threw it at one of the marines. The whole dining hall went silent. Everyone was staring at Tak. The marine slowly turned around and approached him. He got right in his face and the two just stared at each other. Dr. Eileen ran to the two of them

"Hey hey hey! Let's just calm down ok! Just take it easy"

She separated them by standing in between them and slowly pushed Tak away.

The marine approached a little more and opened his mouth.

"Fucken bitch, you're lucky your boss stepped in for you. Cos I would've fucked you up so bad, that you wouldn't even recognize yourself the next time you looked in the mirror. Fucken scientist piece of shit. Let's get the fuck out of here"

The marines left and the people in the dining hall returned to their conversations. Dr. Eileen sat down next to Tak.

"Ignore those assholes" she said.

Tak never forgot the face of his enemies. The face of the marine and what he said was all that was going through his mind. Filled with anger, he breathed slowly to try and calm himself down. After a while, people started to clean up and leave for their daily activities. As Tak was throwing away his rubbish, a woman stood next to him and spoke.

"Impressive. I've never seen a scientist do that. He's got balls Gillian. And he's good looking. He's a keeper"

Dr. Eileen laughed. She then introduced Tak to the lady. "Tak, this is Dr. Grace Augustine, she's head of the Avatar program."

Tak shook her hand and softly replied "Nice to meet you Dr. Augustine"

"Gosh, the things I would do to have someone like you on my team. You really set an example for the rest of us geeks today. Keep it up and maybe the rest will follow" said Dr. Augustine.

"… I'll do my best" replied Tak.

"Oh god, I think I'm in love" said Dr. Augustine

Dr. Eileen laughed. She then walked with Tak towards the lab. Still angry over what happened back in the dining hall, Tak asked a question.

"So who the fuck were those douchebags?"

"Oh, those guys. Just some typical marine assholes. The one who got in your face is Sergeant Rolf Terry. He always gives us scientists a hard time. You learn to ignore it after a while. But don't worry about it. Let's just focus on getting you into your Avatar ok? Meet me back at the lab in 30 minutes."

Tak went back to the dorms to brush his teeth. He couldn't wait. Finally, he was going to get to use his Avatar. After brushing his teeth he walked to the lab and got ready for what he had been waiting for over 6 years. He spotted Dr. Eileen and walked over to her.

"Well you're early aren't you! Eager to try out your Avatar I see. Oh, before we get started I want to introduce you to the rest of my team. I was going to do so last night but you weren't at dinner. Anyway, this is Dr. Joel Dale, this is Dr. Lynda Isaac and this is Dr. Elliot Brent"

One by one, they greeted Tak and shook his hand.

"They're all Avatar drivers as well so you'll be working with them out in the open. Well, let's get you into your Avatar shall we?"

Dr. Eileen led Tak to a link and started to set it up with the corresponding touch screen monitor. Tak took off his shoes, opened the link and lied down. He lowered the metal frame over his chest and awaited further instructions.

"Ok, you're all set. Just close your eyes and try to relax." Said Dr. Eileen. She then proceeded to close the lid of the link and walked over to the link supervisor. She stared at the screen as it showed the progress of the connection being made. It was slow but it was connecting.

"A bit slow, but so far looks good" she said.

It had now reached 98% but then suddenly it unexpectedly stopped. At first she remained calm but after a while she started to worry.

"Oh no what's wrong. No no no no no. Oh no, this doesn't look good"

Just as she was about go to Tak's link and check the connection continued onto 100% and was finally established.

"Shit, I was getting worried there" said Dr. Eileen with relief.

She walked over to the window where she could see Tak's Avatar lying on a bed. Two scientists were assisting his Avatar. They called his name, but no response. They clicked their fingers next to his ear but no response. One scientist turned to Dr. Eileen and shook her head to which Dr. Eileen sighed and face palmed. This was not looking good. But then the other scientist waved his hand to signify something was happening.

"Hey, I think he's waking up" said the scientist.

The scientists continued to call Tak's name. Eventually he managed to very slowly open his eyes. His breathing was faint and slow, but could just be heard.

"You good? You feel ok?" asked one of the scientists.

Tak then opened his eyes more and looked around the room. He lay on his back for a minute until he decided to sit up. The scientists and Dr. Eileen were surprised. Tak's Avatar was different. Unlike the Na'vi and even most Avatars, his Avatar had wider shoulders. There was also a bit more muscle mass but it was not toned. His eyes were slightly coloured differently with the usual bright gold iris being a bit brighter. His DNA had managed to splice well with the Na'vi DNA as the Na'vi facial features were dominant over the human ones. However it was still recognizable as Tak. He continued to move the rest of his body, moving his fingers and toes, wrists, elbows, ankles and neck. After feeling confident he decided to put his feet on the floor. Impressed with his fast progress, the scientists gave him the green light to stand up. He did, but very slowly. Again, the scientists and Dr. Eileen were stunned. He was a bit taller than the average Avatar and Na'vi. Standing at a little over 10ft tall, this was one sexy Avatar. Tak continued to work on moving around in his Avatar until noon.

When it was time for lunch, the team made their way to the dining hall to grab some sandwiches. Like before, everyone went ahead while Tak stayed lying in his link with the lid open, still processing the information from what he had just experienced. His first breath, his first sight, his first touch, his first step with his Avatar. It took a while for him to make his way to the dining hall. Again he was alone. He took a seat at an empty table and took a few bites from his ham sandwich. But his peace and quiet was disrupted by someone else joining him.

"God damn it, fucken ham and cheese" said the man to himself. He looked familiar. That's when it hit Tak. It was the same guy who was shitting his pants back in the Valkyrie shuttle. The man then looked at Tak and continued to speak.

"You know what I'm saying? I mean, if I wanted to eat this boring tasteless shit then I would have stayed on Earth! I mean come on! I want some Pandoran meat, or fruit or something alien. Not this crap!"

Tak looked at him with a slight WTF type expression on his face. The man stuck his hand out and introduced himself.

"Oh, Corporal Alan Major. Nice to meet you"

Another marine. Tak thought negative thoughts. But since it was such a change from the last marine he had met, he decided to give this one a go. He shook his hand and introduced himself as well.

"Takumi Ling…. Ehh…. Avatar driver"

"Wow, you're an Avatar driver? Nice, I wish I had one. I've heard so many stories about this place and seems like the only way to fully experience it is with one of those blue puppets. You're really lucky. Well, it's not so bad as I've been assigned the duty of accompanying a group of Avatars. I'm replacing a guy who got his ass torn to pieces by this thing called a Thanator….. "

There was a moment of silence. Tak didn't know what to say. Alan then continued.

"But yeah, anyway…. This place is meant to be heaps of fun. Flying dinasour brids, six legged dogs, man eating plants, oh and those native blue people. Damn, I really want to meet one. I've never met an alien before. Although one time in highschool me and a friend did see something in the sky. It was weird you know? Like, it was this light but funny coloured….. and it was going crazy, but yeah…."

Tak didn't know what to think of this guy. Was he on drugs or was he just retarded? Well, for a marine he was pretty friendly. He decided to talk a bit as well.

"eehhh… yeah, well just be careful. This planet is pretty hostile…well I should go now"

"Alright, nice meeting you. See you around later yeah?"

"yeah, see ya"

Tak walked back to the lab with his sandwich. On the way he thought about the conversation he just had. Did he just become friends with a marine? Maybe. Before entering the lab he shoved the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and walked back to his link. He sat on it and waited for Dr. Eileen and the team to return. After waiting for over twenty minutes, the gang finally arrived. Not surprised to see Tak back so early, Dr. Eileen setup the link again and Tak got in.

"You did good for your first time, I think you're ready to go outside and have some fun" she said. Tak smiled a bit. The connection was re established and Tak woke up in his Avatar. Again, he slowly put his feet onto the floor and slowly walked. New clothes were waiting for him next to the door. He entered the Avatar change room and got dressed in the standard Avatar clothing. He then made his way outside. It was a great feeling. The warmth of Alpha Centuri A's sunlight on his skin accompanied the deadly yet clean crisp Pandoran air filling his lungs. He walked around the Avatar training grounds and saw the other Avatars doing all sorts of activities. This made him want to run, but he started with jogging. However within a minute or so he was running and jumping, making his way through the obstacle courses. Tak now had a new body.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been four days since Tak first got into his Avatar. Every day he spent a good two to three hours exercising in his Avatar. He completed the obstacle courses multiple times, requiring him to run, jump and climb up ropes. He would do push ups and sit ups. It was getting too easy. He had also begun work on what Dr. Eileen had been doing for the past twelve years. She had been studying the Pandoran plants and most recently the _Pennanemonoid Ciliare_, or commonly known as the Anemonid, which is able to detoxify the soil by absorbing metals through its roots and use it for nutrients in order to grow. Her studies had shown a lot about how the plant works and its possibilities that it could possibly be grown on Earth in order to clean the heavily polluted soil. Although the RDA had no interest in the Avatar program, they weren't going to shut it down for a while as the Pandoran plants were possibilities to restoring Earth which meant it was an opportunity to make enormous amounts of money, the RDA's only objective.

Tak was different from most kids. His lack of socialising meant more time reading books and magazines. As a child and teen he would spend half his free time reading articles about the flora and fauna of earth, most of which were from pre 22nd century. He then started to show interest in Pandoran flora and fauna and decided that he would become a scientist who would work towards restoring what was left of the natural world. The other half was spent well on playing his electric guitar and learning martial arts. A hardcore biology nerd put together with a pro guitarist and a black belt in Judo and Karate? Now that's a potent mix!

After completing his afternoon training session and waking up from the link, Dr. Eileen had a good look at him.

"You're ready" she said. Not knowing what she was talking about, Tak stared back at her in confusion.

"Meet me here at 10am tomorrow" she said, then walked off to her desk. Tak exited from the link and thought about what she had just said. Feeling hungry from all the work he had been doing all day, he decided to head off to the dining hall for some fruit. He exited the lab and made his way through the network of corridors. As he was walking down a long corridor, two marines marched towards him and pushed him into the wall. One went for a punch but Tak dodged it, and another. After creating some space between him and the marines, he took a good look at their faces. He recognized them from his encounter with Sergeant Rolf Terry. The two meatheads wasted no time and charged at Tak. They had made a bad mistake. One managed to get a hold of Tak while the other attempted to throw in as many punches but he was kicked in the face and fell to the ground. Still being held, Tak used his heel and delivered a solid kick the other marine's shin. He then managed to break the hold and Judo threw his enemy onto the ground with all his power. Landing flat on his back, the marine gasped for air. Tak then stomped on his face six times and knocked him out. By now the one who was kicked in the face had got back up. He threw another punch, only to have it caught and used against him in a perfectly executed ippon seoinage. Now both of them were on their backs. Extremely pumped with 100% pure anger, Tak showed no mercy to the unlucky conscious marine and threw heavy punches into his face, causing it to bruise and swell and also breaking his nose. Seeing the other half conscious marine trying to get up, he got a small run up and kicked him in the face like a goalie taking a goal kick. The two marines laid on the ground in a pool of blood. Tak continued to the dining hall.

No one was in the dining hall but Tak. He sat down and ate a banana, then heard footsteps. Thinking it was someone looking for more trouble he turned round and looked. However it was Yuki. Seeing 6 foot 1inch tall, muscular, bad ass looking Tak sit alone at a table and eat a banana was pretty funny and brought a smile to her face. She sat down in front of him.

"How are you?" she asked, but Tak didn't reply. He was looking down at the table with half pen eyes as if he was tired.

"What's wrong?" asked Yuki. "Are you ok?" after a while Tak finally answered.

"I fucken hate people" he said in a calm voice. Knowing typical Tak from college, she let out a small laugh and asked why. "Cos people equal shit" he said.

"So…. Are you going somewhere after this?" asked Yuki. "Lab" said Tak. One word answers were his trademark. He finished his banana, threw the peel into the bin and stood up. As he started to walk, Yuki noticed the blood stains on his shoes. The normal black and white Chuck Taylors were now partly blood red.

"Wait for me, I'm going back to the lab as well" she said. She grabbed an apple and caught up to Tak. The two returned to the lab via the route that Tak had taken. Wondering why his shoes were bloody, Yuki thought about questioning it. But as they turned a corner, Yuki saw two unconscious bodies lying in what was now a big puddle of blood. It looked like an unreported crime scene. The rest of the trip back to the lab was very awkward. So awkward that once they got there, Yuki didn't even say bye. For the rest of the day, Tak continued work on the Pandoran plants in silence.

The next day had come. Alpha Centuri A woke everyone up with its glow and warmth. Unlike most days, Tak had woken up early today. He managed to shower, got dressed, have breakfast and come back to the dorms to brush his teeth all by 9:43am. He then decided to walk to the labs. When he got there, he was approached by Dr. Augustine. Thinking he was in trouble, he looked away from her.

"Good job handsome." She said. After a few seconds of confusion in the form of silence, Tak replied "…..ehhhh, what?"

Grace grinned and answered quietly "You know? The marines you kicked the shit out of yesterday? People heard about it but they still don't know who's responsible. Looks like you made sure those two didn't remember anything ha? God, you're amazing!"

Tak now had an annoyed look on his face. Grace noticed and continued.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Besides, no one knows who you are since you don't talk a lot. OK?" She winked at him before walking away. Tak walked over to his desk.

It was now 10:00am. Spotting Tak at his desk, Dr. Eileen walked to him.

"You ready?" she asked. Tak nodded. "Let's go" she said. The two of them walked over to their links. The rest of the team was waiting. They all hopped into their links and woke up in their Avatars. Tak was lying in his Avatar sized bed. He looked around and spotted four other Avatars getting up as well. He went to the box at the end of his bed and took out his clothes. As he was getting dressed someone came to him. Kneeling down from tying his shoe lace, he turned around to see two blue legs. He looked up and saw a female Avatar. Dr. Eileen? Not quite sure of who it was, he stood right up and stared at the Avatar.

"Woooow, you really are big." It was Dr. Eileen's voice. As an Avatar, she was very good looking. With the perfect balance of human and Na'vi facial features and a slim body, she gave Dr. Augustine's Avatar a run for her money. She walked over to the others and Tak followed slowly. The others couldn't help but stare at how big Tak was.

"Daaaaamn, you're huge!" said Dr. Dale.

"Oh. My. God." Said Dr. Isaac, as if she had just seen the love of her life.

Dr. Brent was getting changed. Unaware of Tak's presence, he turned around only to be shocked "WOW, Tak?" Tak slightly raised his hand. "Holy shit, you're big!" Tak felt uncomfortable as he wasn't used to getting this much attention. While tyring her shoe lace, Dr. Eileen explained the plan for the day to her team.

"OK gang, we're going to take a trip down to the FEBA and see how our plants are doing. If we're lucky we may be able stay a bit longer than usual."

The others responded with shouts of joy and high fives like little kids while Tak stood there in silence, not knowing what they were getting so excited about. Dr. Brent then briefly explained to Tak. "Aw dude, you're gonna love it." Wasn't much of an explanation, well it didn't explain anything, but it seemed like a fun place. Once everyone got their backpacks and equipment they proceeded to the two Samsons that awaited them. Dr. Dale, Isaac and Brent went to one helicopter while Dr. Eileen and Tak went to another. A marine approached her.

"Good morning ma'am! Sergeant Alan Major, I'll be escorting you today."

Tak couldn't believe it. This was the third time he had encountered Alan. He walked to the helicopter and as he was about to get in, Alan greeted him as well.

"Good morning sir! Sergeant Alan Major, I'll be escorting you today."

"Hi Alan" replied Tak. Alan was surprised as he recognized the Avatar's voice.

"Tak? WOW SHIT! DAMN! So that's what you look like! Wooow, you're big!"

Annoyed, the pilot told Alan to get on or be left behind. Alan got on and the helicopters took off.

The sights on the way to the FEBA were amazing. The never ending forest spread a green in all directions with river systems adding lines of blue. The occasional waterfalls were also spectacular, as they sent tons of water crashing down from tremendous heights to large pools which then continued back into a river. Tak was overwhelmed at the sights. He showed a bit of this through his facial expressions. For the whole trip his eyes were fixed on the beautiful sights that Pandora had to offer. He had completely forgot that he was going to be doing research as this felt like a dream holiday.

After hours of flying, they had finally reached the FEBA. The Samsons descended onto the landing pads. The team got off and made their way to the main building. The base at the FEBA was smaller than Hell's Gate but was still large enough to house enough at least a hundred people. It was surrounded by very think vegetation. Beams of sunlight that managed to make their way through the forest canopy lit up parts of the forest floor. There were many shallow pools and rivers. This place was exploding with Pandoran life.

The team made their way through the thick forest. Everywhere few metres they travelled, it seemed to Tak that there was a new plant species or a new insect to look at. The colours were like nothing he had ever seen before. He felt an indescribable feeling as he walked through the forest. Dr. Eileen looked at Tak and knew that he was amazed by the look on his face. Alan was no different. He too was amazed at what he was seeing. While the other marine had his gun held up, ready to shoot, Alan had it pointing down as if he had totally forgotten that he had one. They continued to walk until they reached a group of Anemonids. As the Anemonids were spread over a large area, the group decided to split up. Dr. Dale, Isaac and Brent went with the other marine while Dr. Eileen and Tak went with Alan. They took samples and recorded all sorts of data. Alan was bombarding Dr. Eileen with questions. This annoyed Tak so he decided to move to another area where Alan's voice couldn't be heard.

After going through thick vegetation for a few minutes, Tak finally realized that it was completely quiet. He had also found a very large Anemonid which was exactly what Dr. Eileen was looking for. The larger the plant, the more metals it has absorbed over time. This would provide a lot of useful data. While examining the plant, he heard a noise. He looked around but saw nothing. Thinking nothing of it he continued his work. But then he heard another noise. Now he knew something was definitely stalking him. Surrounded by a thick wall of plants, he walked over to it and moved the leaves with his arm as if moving some blinds to look out a window. He took a good look, scanning the area. Nothing. He came to the conclusion that it was just an animal and decided to return to his work. When he turned around, he was greeted by three arrow tips right in his face.


	4. Chapter 4

The three Na'vi warriors stood there with their bows pulled back as far as possible. They all stared aggressively at Tak who didn't know what to think of the situation. Not knowing what he should do next, Tak thought to himself "Great, what now…" He took a good look at each of the warriors' faces who were obviously not happy to see him. He then slowly took a step forward and as he did, one of the warriors slowly breathed through his nose as if he was about to release the arrow. But nothing. Tak then slowly took another step, and another. With every step he took, the Na'vi backed up.

"Ftang!" yelled one of the angered warriors. Tak stopped. Surprised that he understood the command, the warrior gave him an even meaner look. But the Na'vi warriors were distracted by a slight sound coming from the branches above. It was just a Stingbat who had decided to land for some rest. Tak decided to take this very short opportunity at making a move. He quickly grabbed the arrow out of the hand of the closest Na'vi and grabbed him by the neck, using him as a shield. The other two Na'vi instantly noticed and turned around with their arrows aimed at Tak's face, who now had the disarmed arrow pressed against his hostage's throat. Neither side was going to put down their weapons. Tak backed up very slowly with the hostage to his backpack. He then used his arrow holding arm to keep hold of his hostage around his neck while he used his free hand to search for the knife that was in the side compartment of the backpack. The Na'vi now had a chance at taking out Tak but for some reason they hesitated and decided not to risk it. With the knife now in his other hand, Tak pressed the knife to his hostages throat and let go of the arrow, now using this arm to hold his hostage around the neck. He then decided to make his way out of the small area he was working in and out into the open forest. The two Na'vi warriors followed, this time paying 100% of their attention to Tak's every movements.

Meanwhile, back at where Dr. Eileen had been working, Alan had managed to slightly annoy even Dr. Eileen with his questions about what she was doing while also poorly checking the area for any dangers. She noticed Tak had been gone for quite some time and also wanting some alone time, she asked Alan to go and search for him. Without any argument, Alan headed off in search for Tak. He searched a large area as he wasn't sure of which way Tak had disappeared to. However this was not a problem for him as Alan was very curious of his surroundings. This was his opportunity to observe the wonders of Pandora nice and close. He stumbled upon an Arachnoid climbing up a tree. He had never seen anything like it. It was similar to a Scorpion back on earth, but it was missing the large claws. Instead, it had a large abdomen which lead up to a pair of stingers that looked exactly like fangs on a poisonous snake. Its eyes, mouth and legs were all fixed around the hexagonal front section which had an opening in the front. Covered in a dark but slightly shiny purple with red on its legs and the tip of its stingers, this was one exotic looking creature. Alan stared at it until it noticed and got scared. It quickly ran away to the other side of the tree and up the trunk. That's when Alan realized something. He then told himself "Hey! What the fuck are you doing? You're not a kid anymore! Grow up and do your damn job!" Suddenly he went from adventurous child to serious adult and continued his search for Tak.

By now, Tak was getting impatient and wanted to get back to his work. But that wasn't going to happen as long as the Na'vi warriors were there with their arrows pointed at him. But then one of the Na'vi eased off the pull on his bow and lowered it towards the ground. He dropped it and pulled out his dagger. Knowing what was about to happen, the other Na'vi smirked and also disarmed his weapon. With the dagger held tightly in his hand and a "I'm going to fucken kill you" look on his face, the Na'vi stepped forward and prepared himself for a fight. Tak breathed strongly and threw his hostage to the ground. Without even thinking about negotiating, he also stepped forward. The two faced each other, ready to die. As usual, Tak waited for his opponent to make the first move. And he didn't have to wait long. The fierce Na'vi charged at Tak with his dagger and tried to stab him in the chest. Tak quickly dodged it. The Na'vi quickly turned around and went for another attempt but this time he tried to stab Tak in the stomach with un upwards strike. The knife sliced Tak's forearm on the way up but he felt nothing as he was pumped with adrenaline. The Na'vi continued to take swings with his dagger in attempts to cut or stab his opponent but Tak kept on dodging them. The two Na'vi spectators were cheering for their friend to show the dreamwalker no mercy and kill him. Tak stepped back in order to create some space and regain his focus. The Na'vi took this short time to catch his breath but was quick to getting back into the fight. He pulled back his dagger and took a big swing at Tak's chest and managed to cut the shirt but not the flesh. Once he reached the limit of his swing, he brought it back the other way for another. Tak grabbed the wrist with his left hand and pulled him in to try and stab his enemy in the gut. The extremely pissed off Na'vi saw this coming and decided to grab Tak's wrist as well. The two of them had one hand holding on to the other's wrist while the other was being held. They both struggled to let their hands free until Tak decided to knee the Na'vi in the gut and head butt him. A bit dizzy for a split second, the Na'vi quickly regained his focus only to realize Tak was going to slice his neck. He ducked and moved to the side. Missing his chance to kill his opponent, Tak used the rotational motion from his swing to execute a kick which landed on the chest of the Na'vi and sent him to the ground. Getting sick of using his knife, Tak threw it away and approached the Na'vi who was now on his back. The spectating Na'vi's cheers had now turned into cries of concern as they shouted at their friend to get back up onto his feet. Desperate to do so, the Na'vi kicked forward to try and strike Tak in the face but was caught by the ankle. He then kicked his other foot along the ground to sweep Tak off his feet who also fell to the ground. The struggling Na'vi leaned towards his ankle to try and release Tak's hand. As he went to do so, Tak grabbed him by the wrist again but this time Tak swung his legs around and place one foot on his opponent's chest. With a hold of an arm and a leg together with a foot to the chest, Tak lifted him up, rolled on his back and threw the Na'vi and sent him flying above and behind who landed flat on his back. Seeing the Na'vi trying to get back up, Tak walked over to him and kicked the dagger out of his hand. He then grabbed his head by the hair and gave him some long overdue punches to the face. With a bloody nose and a lightly bruised face, the Na'vi's vision was now going in circles. Tak had enough with his first victim and now it was time to move to the next. Shocked at the defeat of the Na'vi Warrior, the other two Na'vi quickly grabbed their arrow loaded bows and pulled back, ready to fire at Tak. But not even a few arrows would stop Tak now, as intense rage was flowing through all parts of his body. The Na'vi knew this dreamwalker was no ordinary one, and so he had to be killed. Just when they were about to fire their arrows, a voice shouted out which caught everyone's attention.

"Wow shit!" They all turned around to see Alan with his gun aimed at the hostile Na'vi, now looking a lot more serious than he was before.

"Hey Tak, you OK?" asked Alan. Tak replied with a slight nod.

"Doc wants to see you…. I think… just grab your shit and let's get out of here"

Tak went back for his back pack but as he was, the Na'vi he had delivered a beating to was getting back on his feet. With the dagger not so far away from him he picked it up and marched towards Tak. Alan noticed this.

"Hey! Don't fucken move!" he shouted. But within the second he pointed his gun to his new target, one of the Na'vi with armed with a bow quickly took aim at Alan. Now up shit creek without a paddle, Alan contacted Dr. Eileen with his communication device.

"Doc? Dr. Eileen?"

"Yep? You find him?" she replied.

"Yeah, I did. And that's not all."

Not knowing what Alan was talking about, she asked "Um, OK…."

Knowing that he wasn't been taken seriously he replied back. "Just get over here and see for yourself, like, now!" Noticing the seriousness in his voice, Dr. Eileen asked where he was. He roughly described the path that he took and so wasting no time, Dr. Eileen jogged over to the spot. As she approached the site, her voice could be heard increasing in volume.

"Alan, Alan? Alan where are you? Alan? Hey, where ar- ohhhhh shit." Suddenly witnessing what Alan had got himself into, Dr. Eileen stood there with her mouth slightly open.

"Yeah, so ahhhhhh. Maybe you could talk to them? If you know their language that is." Said Alan who had his finger on the trigger, ready to pull if necessary. However he noticed that the Na'vi who was aiming at him was not paying attention to him, but instead to Dr. Eileen. The Na'vi opened his mouth for a few seconds then spoke.

"….Gillian?" he said with an accent. Dr. Eileen looked at him and was surprised to see a familiar face.

"Aketuan?" She replied.

The Na'vi closed his eyes and sighed as a sign of relief.

"Holy shit, I was getting really worried there for a sec. Hey Alan, it's ok. You can point your gun away." said Dr. Eileen. Alan couldn't help but exclaim.

"What? Wha- you know this guy? he replied.

"Yeah, well look, just put the gun down and I'll explain later ok? Aketuan, it's ok. He's with me." By now everyone was aware of Dr. Eileen's presence and the fact that this had got rid of the hostility between the two groups. She walked over to the other two Na'vi and greeted them. However they weren't happy to see her. The other Na'vi who was holding a bow yelled at Dr. Eileen in Na'vi. Tak's opponent kept silent as he was too angry to even open his mouth.

"You said no more dreamwalkers!" he yelled. Dr. Eileen did her best to try and explain.

"I know and I'm sorry. But he was sent to me. I'm sorry."

Not knowing what the hell was going on, Tak walked over to Dr. Eileen and stared at her with a slightly angry look.

"What the fuck." he said with no emotion. The look on his face demanded an explanation and so Dr. Eileen went ahead to do so.

"Yeah, really sorry about this. I should've told you about the locals."

"…..Locals?..."

"Yep, the Takahayo tribe."


	5. Chapter 5

Dr. Eileen walked Tak and Alan back to where she was collecting samples and recording data. On the way back Tak kept silent as usual while Alan kept silent due to trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. What had just happened was that he was in a three way standoff with two Na'vi warriors, not Avatars, but Na'vi warriors who had drawn their arrows, ready to fire. Unable to stop thinking about his first encounter with the alien race, his heart continued to beat fast. The group reached Dr. Eileen's spot and decided to continue their work. Tak moved to another spot, but not too far from where his superior was. Now that he had lost his temper and was unsettled, he couldn't focus on what he was meant to be doing. He recorded all sorts of data for the Anemone and took samples as instructed but he was filled with anger. It didn't make sense to him. He threw his pen and clipboard on to the ground and asked himself some questions.

"Why….. why does this always happen? Why can't I just be left alone? Why is it that every time I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, minding my own business, some fucken asshole has to come along and fuck things up? Fuck this shit….."

Unable to comprehend the hostility of the Na'vi, despite being warned of the aggressive alien race, Tak stared at the ground for a while until realizing that Dr. Eileen was standing behind him. She kneeled down next to him.

"You OK?" she asked. Tak gave her an unamused look. Seeing that he was not in the mood for a chat, she sighed and continued to talk.

"I know it must have been….. unpleasant, for your first encounter with the Na'vi to turn out like it did just then, but it was my fault. I should've told you to stay close….. aghhhh, stupid, stupid me. But I really want you to get to know these people better. I know this seems like a lot to ask, but try to not think too badly of the natives OK. I mean, I wouldn't be too happy either if my home was being mined by a hostile alien race. Well anyway, it was my fault and I apologise. I promise I'll warn you of anything from now on OK."

Tak gave his signature no response. But by now Dr. Eileen had told herself that even though he didn't answer her questions, he was listening to what she was saying. She gave him a slight smile and walked back to her area. And in fact Tak had been listening to what she had to say.

"Don't think too badly of them? After they tried to kill me? Get the fuck out of here lady." He thought to himself.

After recording the data and collecting the samples the team had come after, Dr. Eileen gathered everyone so they could make their way back to the helicopters. Unaware of what had happened but curious over why Dr. Eileen suddenly ran away, the other 3 scientists asked her what had happened. "Long story, I'll tell you guys tonight" she replied. The Samsons took off and made their way back to Hell's Gate as Alpha Centuri A cast a bright orange glow over the Pandoran landscape. The forest was now a bright brown form the rich green mixing with the orange sunlight. The sky went from a beautiful, slightly dark sky blue to a pale and then intense orange as it approached the horizon. Tak stared into the distance and watched as Alpha Centuri A slowly sunk into the horizon.

The team finally reached Hell's Gate. As the Samsons touched down, a marine approached the landing zone and waited there. When the pilots cut the engines and the whining sound of the rotors died, the marine ordered that Tak was to go and see Colonel Hilton. The day just seemed to get worse for Tak. Wasting no time, the marine escorted Tak to Colonel Hilton. The others looked confused but went back to unloading their science equipment. The marine took Tak up into the control tower where Colonel Hilton was standing at the 3D hologram map of the many areas of Pandora. The marine approached him and saluted him.

"Sir, as you've requested"

"Thank you sergeant." He replied. He looked over to Tak.

"Step into my office." He said as he began to make his way in that direction. Tak followed.

Upon entering his office, Tak looked around. Colonel Hilton's office was very tidy. On his desk were the usual things like pens, some paper and folders neatly stacked, an RDA mug, and of course, a box of Cuban cigars that had been brought over from earth. On the wall were framed awards and medals of all sorts. Colonel Hilton than began to speak.

"So, Dr. Takumi Ling, you've only been here for nearly a week and I'm already starting to hear things about you. I've read your profile, you seem like just an ordinary scientist. But I've been told otherwise. " Tak continued to look at the things that were on the desk.

"It's my understanding, that you got into an altercation with Sergeant Rolf Terry. Well it wasn't really an altercation was it, since you didn't say anything. It's also my understanding that yesterday afternoon, two sergeants were knocked unconscious near the dining hall. Now, I'm not pointing the finger at anyone. Not yet. After all, I'm not the type who makes accusations without any evidence. But I am aware that these two men were with Sergeant Terry at the time of the incident in the dining hall yesterday morning. Like I said, I'm not pointing the finger at anyone, but I will say this. You need to watch yourself."

Tak then looked into Colonel Hilton's eyes. The sudden change in his tone had caused Tak to feel like he was being threatened. This he didn't like at all. For Tak it was simple, make a threat and be ready to back it up with some action. Or else just don't say anything. He could feel the anger building up inside again but he did his best to not show it. Colonel Hilton didn't look very intimidating. His dark brown eyes, normal facial features and his not too thick moustache made him seem like the average guy. But looks can be deceiving. Colonel Hilton continued.

"Now, you may think so, but I'm not biased against scientists. I believe in fairness. I've already spoken to Sergeant Terry, and he is also aware that he needs to watch himself. But so do you. Anymore reports I get of you stepping out of line, and I guarantee that you will face the consequences. You are dismissed."

Tak slowly walked out of the office and made his way to the lab. When he arrived, he was approached by the team. "What happened? What's wrong?" asked Dr. Eileen. Tak closed his eyes and slightly shook his head to signify that nothing was wrong. Dr. Eileen really didn't want to piss him off any further considering the bad day that he had. She left him alone and so did the others. Tak unpacked his science equipment, turned on the monitor at his desk and began to input the data into the database. He then took out the samples he had collected and stared at it. A lot was going through his mind now but he continued with his work.

Meanwhile, Dr. Eileen was working at her desk. She was correlating the data she had recorded with past data when she noticed that for the past few years, all she had been doing was going back and forth between Hell's Gate and the natural Pandoran World just to keep an eye on some plants. Plants were interesting, but there was a lot more waiting for her out there. She had already met the Na'vi and even managed to get along quite well with them. But it was inconsistent. She wanted to be with them. No, she wanted to be one of them. She wanted to be surrounded by the natural beauty that Pandora had to offer. She wanted less time in here, and a lot more time out there. Not knowing what to do, but wanting to do something about it, she marched off to the control tower where Tak had just been. As she made her way she thought about what she was going to say.

She reached the main room of the control tower and saw Parker Selfridge discussing something with Colonel Hilton. She walked over to them and interrupted their conversation.

"Ahh, excuse me? Hi, sorry to interrupt but I would like to talk with…. Either you, or you." Parker looked at Colonel Hilton with a confused look and then to Dr. Eileen. "Go on." He said. Dr. Eileen continued. "Well, I was just in the lab studying the samples we collected today and.. it seems like we've made progress. Well, not us, but the plants….Because of the nearby base the nutrients in the soil has been changing over the years and it's finally at a stage where the soil is similar to that of earth. I mean, pH levels are similar, nitrogen levels are similar and-"

Selfridge interrupted her "Yeah that's great but can you just get to the point? I mean, do I look like a damn scientist to you?" After a short pause caused by Selfridge's rudeness, Dr. Eileen continued. "The plants can pretty much be grown on earth, and possibly be used to detoxify the soil. But they're not fully ready yet. Look, if I could continue studying these plants then I could most likely modify them so that they can be used back on earth. And of course, that means a bigger pay check for you."

Selfridge raised one of his eyebrows and looked down at the 3D map, thinking about what she had just said. He then looked back up at her and stared for a while before saying something.

"So, what do you want?" he asked

"If I could move my team over to the FEBA then I could get you some results, some, very, valuable results. If you know what I mean." She replied. Parker continued to stare at her as he was a bit suspicious about why she was telling him about this money making opportunity. Knowing Grace, he didn't expect a scientist to let him know of such a thing.

"You're not lying to me are you?" he asked.

Without any hesitation she replied in a calm manner. "No, of course I'm not" she said, but of course she was. She managed to fool Selfridge and get his approval of moving over to the FEBA. As Dr. Eileen left the room, Selfridge turned to Colonel Hilton. "I guess we can trust her. Besides, the fewer scientists, the fewer problems between them and your guys right?" said Selfridge. Colonel Hilton nodded but didn't seem to care a lot.

Dr. Eileen returned to the lab and explained the deal she had just made with Selfridge to her team. At first the team seemed hesitant about going ahead with the deal. Dr. Isaac questioned her dare devil of a boss. "Are you sure? You do realize we're going to have to give them something on a regular basis or else they're eventually going to work out that we just lied to them so we could escape this place." said Dr. Isaac. Dr. Eileen took in a deep breath and then answered. "Yeah, I know. But see, ever since first coming to this planet, I've only met with Selfridge a few times. He probably won't even remember that we're gone in a few weeks time. And besides, he probably likes the fact that there's going to be fewer scientists around here. Anyway we're going to be moving over there tomorrow so yeah, just thought I would let you guys know what's happened. " The others still seemed unsure about the decision but Tak couldn't care less.

The next day, the team packed up their stuff, including their clothes and personal items, and moved them into 2 portable shacks. A Samson carried each shack while another carried a solar power generator over to the site. Dr. Eileen was in the same chopper as Tak. She decided to use the flight as an opportunity to try and get Tak to open up more.

"Hey, how you doing." She asked Tak, who was looking out of the window at the forest and network of rivers below. Dr. Eileen continued with a calm voice, despite Tak not seeming to pay any attention to her.

"I know you're not really good with, you know, talking to people and stuff. But it would be really good if you could try to, interact a bit more with the rest of us. You're part of the team and so getting your input on the things we do would be really good. And you know, where we're going, you're going to be seeing a lot more of the Na'vi so it would be good to see you interact with them, even if it's just a bit." She paused for a few seconds and ended. "Well, just think about it ok" she said.

Overhearing her and knowing she had finished, Alan asked her a question. "So Doc, this FEBA place, well, what does it even mean?"

"Forward Edge of the Battle Area. For years it's been an intense war zone because the Na'vi clans have been putting up a hell of a fight. RDA's been trying to gain control of the area because if they then they can expand their territory in hopes for more mining sites. Greedy bastards. Fortunately, there's recently been a lot less fighting since Hilton redeployed most of the troops over to where a new mining site is getting started, so the Na'vi are taking it easy I guess. But the fight's not over. As long as we humans occupy their land, they're never going to give up."

The Samsons made their way over to the site with the heavy loads they were carrying. In the distance, one of the very large hometrees could be seen towering over the forest canopy. Dr. Eileen requested to the pilot that they get taken deeper into the forest, further away from the FEBA base. Although the FEBA's canopy was almost sealed with vegetation, they managed to find a hole in the canopy which was large enough for two Samsons to land in. The first two Samsons lowered the shacks next to each other, deeper into the forest while the last Samson lowered the solar generator into the open sunlight where it could function at maximum capacity. The science team was then let out and they began unpacking inside the shacks.

After an hour of unpacking their clothes, science equipment and setting up their own work spaces, Dr. Dale asked Tak to help him with connecting the cables from the generator to the shacks outside. He followed Dr. Dale to the cables. They got the cables and went outside. The warm sunshine felt good. It had been some time since Tak had been outside in his human form. Being inside the lab and the links for most of the day left him with little free time, which he spent down at the fitness room keeping fit. The sunshine breathed new life into him. Dr. Dale asked him to connect one side of the cable to the generator while he connected the other side to the shacks. Tak then activated the hydraulics for the solar panels to be positioned at the right angle for maximum insulation. He then pulled down the large lever to activate the generator. Inside the shacks, the air filtering system began and the scientists could finally take off their exopacks.

"It's all good!" said Dr. Dale who then went back into the shacks. Tak decided to stay outside and absorb the sunlight. He stood there for minutes until his peace and quiet was disturbed by a sound that came from some nearby plants. He quickly turned around and looked to see the plants were shaking a bit.

"Fuck, not this shit again."


	6. Chapter 6

Tak stared at the plants that were shacking. Something was obviously behind it and it was stalking him. He thought for a while as to how he should react. He decided to stay calm and continue to stare at the plants and at the gaps in between that weren't covered by the thick growth of green. He looked away and to the shack to see what the others were doing inside then turned back to look at the plants. That's when he caught a glimpse of a pair of golden eyes looking back at him. The eyes were darker than the usual Na'vi eyes as the plants cast a shadow over them. The pair of eyes quickly disappeared and the plants shook vigorously as the thing, which was most likely a Na'vi, ran away. The fact that Tak was being stalked annoyed him so much that he decided to chase after it. He rammed himself through the plants and chased the stalker who had already got a good head start. Tak ran as fast as he could and was catching up. He could soon see the shaking plants ahead as the stalker pushed them out of the way. Suddenly it yelled. Hearing the shriek, Tak knew it was definitely a Na'vi. He made his way through the last set of plants to see the Na'vi who had tripped, lying on the ground and desperately trying to get back up. But knowing it was useless in trying to escape, the Na'vi turned around and looked at Tak. It was a child, and it was very scared. Tak didn't know what to think and so he stared at the child. The two stared at each other until Tak realized that he could calm down. He took a deep breath and exhaled while closing his eyes to show a sign of relief. Relieved that it wasn't the same group of Na'vi he had run into previously. He walked back to the shacks.

It was in the middle of the day when Alpha Centuri was at its highest point in the sky, sending down a shower of warm sunlight onto the shacks below. After eating lunch the team decided to not do any work and relax outside for the day. After all, everybody loves the sunshine. However Tak decided to stay inside. As people travelling to Pandora were allowed to bring some personal items, Tak decided to sacrifice some of the more important things in order to bring the only thing that mattered to him: his electric guitar along with his small amp. He plugged the amp into one of the power sockets in the shack then plugged in his guitar into the amp. He then tuned his guitar and sat down on one of the lower bunk beds and started to play some blues. The soulful notes of his guitar echoed though both of the shacks. He closed his eyes and worked his fingers across the neck of the guitar. Meanwhile, back outside, Dr. Eileen noticed that Tak wasn't with the rest of them. She decided to go inside and see what he was up to. She opened the first door and waited for the Pandoran air to be filtered out. When she opened the second door she was hit by the amazing blues coming from the amp. She followed the sound and tracked down Tak to see him sitting on one of the beds. She walked over and stood in front of him, seeing the master performing live. Once Tak had finished one of the songs, he opened his eyes and saw Dr. Eileen standing in front of her.

"I didn't know you brought with you, not to mention that you're that good. Blues fan eh?" She waited for an answer. Just when she thought he wouldn't reply, Tak finally said something.

"Yeah, one of the many genres I like" Hearing Tak finally reply put a small smile on Dr. Eileen's face. She continued with their conversation.

"So tell me, because I really am curious, why are you so….. quiet?" There was a moment of silence until she decided to re ask her question. "I mean, you know. Obviously you don't say much. I just want to know why." Tak thought about the question for a while then finally let out an answer.

"I don't know, that's just me… I guess"

Dr. Eileen could easily detect the lack of thought in his answer. "Well, there must be a reason why you don't talk a lot. Maybe it's because you don't trust people? Or maybe something happened in the past? If something is bothering you than you can talk to me about it OK? I will listen." Tak closed his eyes and placed his face into one of his hands while resting it on his knee. He then continued "I've always been like this"

"So how did it start?"

"I don't know, probably from when I was little. I would always hear my parents arguing. That just made me not want to talk to them. And at school I didn't talk to anyone else either."

"I see" said Dr. Eileen in a sympathetic way. She was getting a feeling that Tak had a rough time during his childhood. "So how was school for you?" she asked.

"Well…..it was alright, I guess." He said. Dr. Eileen was glad that he was talking a lot more than usual, but she wanted to know more. She asked him to explain further.

"I enjoyed most of my subjects during primary and high school. Maths and science were the best. English was pretty boring, but sometimes it was ok. History was… I guess it was ok. PE, I hated PE." Surprised, Dr. Eileen asked why.

"Oh, really? Why? Everyone loves PE" she said. Tak shook his head and explained why. "My PE teacher was a fucken dick. Everyone to love him. I guess he thought it would be fun to pick on the quiet kid. I always skipped PE and just went somewhere quiet and read my magazines"

"He didn't get angry?"

"He did and eventually I had to go to a class, so that day he decided to confront me about me skipping PE. He then grabbed me by my shirt and so I removed his grip and threw him on the ground. I also decided to follow him to his home after school and I stood outside staring at his house. l guess he got scared because although I was suspended, after that he didn't say anything about me skipping his classes. "

"Wow, you really… stood up for yourself ha?" She now understood why he stood up to Sergeant Terry in the dining hall days ago. "So…. how did you find school apart from the things you learned?" she asked.

"I hated it. I hated everyone. Most people always said things about me and always judged me but they didn't even get to know me. Some people did, but that's only because they wanted me to help them with their maths or science work. I did because I thought they were a friend but turns out they were just another fucking asshole using someone to their advantage. Well, it only happened a few times."

"I guess you learned not to trust the wrong people eh?"

"No not really, but one of the guys who got me to pretty much do his maths homework really annoyed me. I just looked at his face and felt like beating the shit out of him. So I did, I think he got brain damage or something. Yeah… well after that no one asked for my help."

Not knowing what to say Dr. Eileen paused for a while and asked him about his time during university. Tak gave a brief answer. "Same shit, different people" Dr. Eileen thought of everything she had just learned about Tak. She now understood why he was who he was. Although she still had a lot to learn about him, she knew that it was about time he met the clan. She went back outside and called for Dr. Isaac's assistance. She then returned to Tak.

"Come on, let's go" She said. Not knowing what was going on, Tak followed her and they both got into the links. Dr. Isaac prepared the links and they both were soon in their Avatars that were lying back at Hell's Gate. She requested one of the helicopter pilots to take them back to their shacks. Once they landed, she took Tak on about 20 minute walk through the think forest. On the way Tak saw all sorts of plants, small animals and insects. The place was warm and humid. They followed a river which was very shallow and wide. Aquatic plants were growing from the river bed. Small fish could be seen swimming between the plants. The river, the explosion of plants and creatures and the thick forest canopy above made this place seem unreal. They departed from the river and went into the vegetation. The two finally reached an area where there seemed to be less plants. Na'vi could be seen collecting leaves and fruits from trees while children played with each other. Other Na'vi could be seen carrying the animals they had hunted. In the background the base of a very large hometree could be seen. The two entered the area and were soon greeted by children who ran towards them. Dr. Eileen stopped to greet them with a smile. A few of the Na'vi stopped their activities to look at the familiar face, and the new one. The two of them continued to the base of the hometree. A Na'vi wearing a simple head garment made from feathers and an animal bone with all sorts of decorations in his braids and the usual Na'vi attire approached Dr. Eileen.

"Oel Ngati Kameie" said Dr. Eileen.

"It is good to see you Gillian" said the Na'vi. "It's good to see you too Olo'eyktan" said Dr. Eileen. He then turned to Tak. "Ah, a new face I see." Dr. Eileen then introduced the two to each other.

"Olo'eyktan, this is Tak. He is new here and has been assigned to my team. Tak, this is Olo'eyktan. He is the leader of the Takahayo clan."

Tak didn't know what to say so he just slightly bowed his head to the Olo'eyktan. Then the Olo'eyktan and Dr. Eileen began to talk in Na'vi.

"I assume he knows our language, just like the rest of your kind?" said the Olo'eyktan.

"Yes he does. But I have not heard him speak it yet" replied Dr. Eileen.

The Olo'eyktan then turned to Tak and looked at him for a few seconds before turning back to Dr. Eileen. "He is different from the others. Your people are very interesting to learn about. Maybe this will be the same."

Dr. Eileen laughed a bit "yes, he is quiet. But a good worker"

The Olo'eyktan smiled a little and then continued to speak." Please, show him around the place."

Dr. Eileen took Tak on a tour of the Takahayo clan's home. She showed him the various parts of the hometree from the ground, the various duties of the people within the clan and some of the plants and animals that happened to be nearby. The children who were playing came quickly rushing back, eager to talk to Dr. Eileen and the new Dreamwalker who was with her. They are yelling out their questions to Dr. Eileen.

"What are you doing here? Can you play with us? Who's the new person? When can we go back to the school? Can he play with us?" Overwhelmed by the amount of questions, Dr. Eileen couldn't help but laugh and smile at the children. Tak found children to be very annoying back on earth. The children here weren't too different, but were not as bad. He decided to walk away and sit on a log that was overgrown with moss and fungi. He looked over to Dr. Eileen who was playing with the children. They children were chasing each other. Some of them were wearing masks. Tak then noticed a child standing not too far from him. The child was staring at him. It was a small boy. Tak instantly recognized him as the Na'vi who he had chased earlier in the day. However the boy didn't recognize him. Just like before, the two stared at each other. The little boy then suddenly ran away. Dr. Eileen noticed that Tak was sitting alone on the log. She jogged over to him.

"What's wrong? Don't want to join us? I could use a rest you know, these kids are a handful!"

Tak shook his head and waved his hand to signify a no thanks. Dr. Eileen then sat down next to him. Watching the children play happily, she then began to talk. "You know, sometimes I ask myself why us humans decide to trade this for the lives we live now. I guess we'll never know. Do you?" She looked over to Tak to which he replied by shaking his head to say no. That's when three Na'vi men walked past but stopped as they seemed to realize something. Dr. Eileen looked at them then stood up.

"Oh, hey." She said. "Tak, this is Aketuan, Bakteyo and Tsuwokan. You met them yesterday, but…. I thought I would properly introduce you to them." Tak looked up from where he was sitting and then looked back down. Tsuwokan did the same then walked away.

"Well this is awkward…." Said Dr. Eileen. She then began to talk to the other two Na'vi men in Na'vi.

"Sorry about yesterday, I should have told him not to go too far. It is my fault. Hopefully you can forgive him Aketuan." She said

"Yes, I understand. But Tsuwokan is not happy." Replied Aketuan.

"Yes I know, I am very sorry. And to you as well Bakteyo, it was my fault. Please do forgive my friend here. He was just trying to do his work. He does not mean any hostility towards you and your people. I thought it would be good to introduce him to your people. I did not want him to think badly of you and your people after what happened yesterday."

Bakteyo looked at Tak and then back at Dr. Eileen. "Let's hope that does not happen again." He said.

Dr. Eileen continued to speak with the two Na'vi. Not interested in listening, Tak walked away. He found another river nearby, but it was smaller. There were hardly any plants, just grass. He sat down by the river and stared at the water as it flowed. He then noticed someone to his right. It was the small boy who had run away from him earlier sitting down as well. For the third time of the day the two of them stared at each other for a little while before going back to watching the calm river flow.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day the team decided to continue their work on the Anemonids in the area. However, because the shacks only had three links, only Dr. Eileen and two other scientists could go. Dr. Isaac ran to the second link while the remaining two scientists fought each other for the last one. Dr. Dale and Dr. Brent finally settled it with a game of scissors, paper, rock which ended in Dr. Dale getting the last link. Accepting his defeat, Dr. Brent setup the links and the three woke up in their Avatars. They opened their eyes and felt discomfort as they had slept on the ground for the night. Alan was waiting to escort them. Stretching their muscles, they walked to the river and washed their faces and picked some fruits from plants and ate them. Feeling refreshed, they walked to the area they had been to the day before and continued their research.

Back at the shack, Tak was observing samples under the microscope and recording his observations. One benefit of his anti social behaviour was that he got a lot of work done. Since arriving on Pandora, he had already made a very good impression on Dr. Eileen in terms of his work. Tak was very autistic like in the sense that he would continue working until he finished it all or until someone told him to stop. His concentration couldn't be broken by anything. This continued from the morning, through lunch while he ate his sandwich, until afternoon when he had finally finished observing all the samples, recording his observations with drawings and pages of notes and inputting data into databases on the computer. With nothing to do, he went to his bed where his personal items were stowed underneath and took out his drawing book. He liked to draw in his free time whenever he wasn't playing his guitar or reading magazines. Not knowing what to draw, he stared at the blank page. The lucky individuals got out from their links and discussed the great time they had while making their way to the food cabinet for some lunch. Everyone then sat at the table in the shack with all the accommodative things while Tak was still staring at the blank page in the shack with all the scientific equipment. Noticing his absence from the group, Dr. Eileen walked to the "lab" and saw Tak sitting at his desk.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Nothing" replied Tak.

Dr. Eileen still wanted him to talk more and socialise with the rest of the science team and with the people. She decided to first learn more about him though and decided to continue with her questions

"So tell me more about yourself." Tak didn't know where to begin. His silence along with his confused look showed this so Dr. Eileen decided to be more specific.

"Where are you from? You're accent doesn't sound American to me."

"I was born in Australia. My mother is Japanese and my father is Cantonese. About 30 years ago RDA started to buy a lot of the companies in Asia and both my parents lost their jobs because they weren't needed so they moved to Australia where there was still an opportunity for employment. They both ended up working for the financial department of the RDA where they met."

"I see, so RDA pretty much forced them out of their homes ha?" Tak nodded slowly.

"So you grew up there? In Australia?" she asked. Tak nodded again and elaborated.

"Yeah I grew up in Sydney which was where the head RDA office for Australia was established. Hard to imagine that Sydney once used to be a nice place."

Not knowing a lot about Sydney, Dr. Eileen asked what she meant by this. "What do you mean?"

"Back in the 21st century Sydney was clean. It wasn't overrun by factories and rubbish and pollution. It started to rapidly expand about 130 years ago because of the rising population. Many refugees came from the war torn Asian countries. The growing population lead to rapid urban development and the Sydney basin's forests were soon cleared to make way for houses, factories and business districts. The homes along the coasts and around Sydney harbour were all destroyed for sea ports. Casinos, clubs and hotels also began to increase in numbers as Sydney grew as an industrial city. Humans pretty much fucked the whole country up, Sydney was one of the most affected cities."

Slightly shocked at what she had just heard, Dr. Eileen spoke.

"Wow, I never knew that. I'm not surprised that RDA came because eventually they're going to take over the world. But I just didn't know Sydney changed so quickly. I'm sure it was a beautiful place once, just like the rest of the country… So what was it like growing up Sydney?"

Tak closed his sketch book and answered the question. "Not very interesting, just like the rest of the shitty planet. I didn't go outside a lot when I was little because there was nothing to do. It was all warehouses and factories around my neighbourhood."

"What was living at home like?"

"Pretty shit. Every day I would go to school, come back, do my homework then listen to my parents argue at dinner then return to my room and just do stuff until I was tired. Just the same shit every day." His explanation of his dull life back on earth was emphasised by his dull, emotionless voice. He spoke like a person who just didn't give a fuck about anything.

After he had answered her questions, Dr. Eileen thought about how much he had spoken to her compared to a few days ago and was surprised. He was making progress. Dr. Eileen decided to return to the table with the other and finish her lunch. After she left, Tak looked out the window and thought about what earth had become. Then all sorts of negative thoughts towards humans began to arise. Just when a new Tak was beginning to develop, the old misanthropic Tak was slowly crawling back. However before anymore negativity could fill his mind, Dr. Eileen returned to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's go." She said. Again, Tak wasn't sure where she was going to take him. Back to the Takahayo clan maybe? He would soon find out. Dr. Eileen called for the help of Dr. Isaac to setup the links. Tak hopped into one while Dr. Eileen hopped into the other. They closed the lids and went through the rainbow tunnel which brought them to their Avatars. Dr. Eileen had just been in hers so she was quick to get up whereas Tak hadn't been in his since the day before. Like the others, he woke up feeling very stiff and uncomfortable. He managed to get up onto his feet and stretch. He then followed Dr. Eileen along the nearby river and again, through some thick growth of plants to the Takahayo hometree. Dr. Eileen was again greeted by children happy to see her. But this time she smiled at him before leaving him on his own to go and play with the children. Tak really didn't know why he was here, but it was better than being stuck inside a shack. He walked around the place while being stared at by the locals who were not familiar with him. He hated people staring at him but he did his best to ignore it. After a while of ignoring the stares, he felt like he was not welcome. Not wanting to attract any more bad attention, he walked to the same river he had sat by the day before. And not to his surprise he saw the same little boy sitting at the same place. He looked lonely as he had his head down. He also had a mask next to him on the ground. As soon as Tak sat down, the boy noticed his presence and ran away but forgot his mask. Tak crawled over to the mask and picked it up to have a look at it. It was made from wood and had a strap on the back that was made from plant fibres. It was well crafted and had tribal patterns carved into it. It looked very cool. He sat there examining this amazing piece of art for quite a while.

Dr. Eileen had decided to look for Tak and soon found him sitting by the river. She sat down next to him. "How's it going?" she asked. Tak didn't reply as he was still looking at the mask. Dr. Eileen then also looked at it. "Wow, that's beautiful. Looks a bit small for you though. The children love to play games wearing these masks. They're meant to represent the many warriors that exist in a tribe. I'm not too sure what this one's meant to be. Maybe a Thanator rider?"

Tak then stood up and walked back to where the children were playing. He spotted the boy who had left his mask watching the other children play from a distance. He seemed upset as he couldn't find his mask and therefore not being able to join in on the fun. Tak walked over to the boy. Hearing his footsteps, the boy turned around to see a giant towering over him. Tak then slowly handed him his mask. The boy hesitated but eventually took it out of his big blue hands. He looked at the mask, holding it with both hands then looked up at Tak. The boy stared in awe. This dreamwalker was different. He was taller, more muscular and just looked so cool. The boy then looked back down to his mask and smiled. He was happy to have it back. The boy ran away with joy but instead of joining the other children in their game, he ran back into the hometree and up the central spiral core. Dr. Eileen was watching the whole thing from a distance. And she was very happy. He had finally connected with one of the people. This was a good start. She walked over to Tak and smiled at him for what he had just done. "That was kind of you." She said. As Tak was facing Dr. Eileen, he could see in the distance that Tsuwokan was staring at him. Tsuwokan then stopped staring at him and walked away as if he was disgusted. For the rest of their time there, Dr. Eileen explained to Tak the Na'vi way of life while showing him the many daily activities that were going on around them.

When Dr. Eileen and Tak returned to the shacks, they saw that their Avatar beds and some tents had been dropped off. Dr. Dale came outside with an exopack.

"They arrived! No more sleeping on the hard ground eh?." said Dr. Eileen happily.

"Yep, and since you guys are in your Avatars, and there's no way we can set up these Avatar sized tents, we thought we'd leave it up to you two to set them up." replied Dr. Dale. Just as Dr. Eileen was about to say something Dr. Dale interrupted her.

"OK THANKS!" he said, and ran back into the shacks. With no choice, Dr. Eileen and Tak began to position the beds and setup the tents over them. They weren't very big but they were large enough to shelter the beds from any bugs and possible predators, not that they would provide much protection. Once everything had been set up, the two carried the other three Avatars by their arms and legs onto their beds then finally jumped onto their own beds and called it a day.

From that day it became a daily routine. Alan would escort Dr. Eileen and two scientists to go out and collect data from plants in different areas and bring back samples while Tak stayed in the shacks and continued research on the samples while also doing all sorts of work on the computer. After lunch, Dr. Eileen would take Tak to the Takahayo hometree so he could try and socialize with the people. He wasn't making any progress with anyone except with the boy who he returned the mask to. The two would draw pictures in the dirt with sticks, make Pandoran animals with twigs, leaves and plant fibres, try and catch insects and observe them and climb trees to try and pick the delicious fruits that grew from them. Even though Tak was a hard worker and at times a serious person, he was still a child. Over the years, college and work had kept the inner child locked up but now the inner child was free. Despite his friendliness to at least one of the Na'vi, Tsuwokan still didn't like his presence at all. He would feel anger and uncertainty at the sight of Tak. After all, how could he trust this dreamwalker who tried to kill him previously when he was the one who trespassed on Takahayo land? Although Tsuwokan didn't trust Tak, the rest of the people didn't seem to mind him.

It had been a week since Tak began to get along with the little boy. One afternoon when Tak entered the Takahayo clan's area, the little boy spotted him. He immediately ran up the hometree and came back down with something in his hand. He ran towards Tak and gave him something. Tak accepted the gift with both hands. He was amazed. It was a mask, and it looked very cool. It covered the whole face. The eyes looked angry. It had very smooth carvings across the cheek and mouth areas. The area over the nose had been slightly pushed outwards to make way for Tak's nose while the area over the mouth had vertical slits which mimicked the fangs of the Na'vi. The strap was made not from plant fibres, but from some sort of animal skin that was stretchy. The mask looked very aggressive. And being made from the unique Pandoran wood, it was quite flexible. Tak was overwhelmed. He hadn't received a gift in a very long time from anyone. He put it on and it fitted perfectly. The boy smiled as his creation came to life. It looked so perfect on Tak. He took off the mask and looked at the boy. And for the first time in a very long time he gave an emotion driven smile. The two hadn't said a word to each other since meeting, yet they managed to create a friendship. Dr. Eileen couldn't believe what she was seeing, but she was extremely happy for Tak. The boy was also in for a surprise as Tak had brought along his sketch book and some pencils. The two sat down on the moss covered log and Tak opened the sketch book which looked like a notepad in his big blue Avatar hands. He then took out a pencil from his pocket and started to scribble. The boy was fascinated by this as his eyes widened and a smile grew on his face. Tak gave him a pencil and they began to draw all sorts of things around them. Dr. Eileen walked over to the Olo'eyktan and looked over to Tak and the boy.

"Amazing isn't it. Just over a week ago he wasn't talking to anyone." Dr. Eileen and the Olo'eyktan watched as Tak and the little boy drew things in the sketch book. But their fun didn't last long. Suddenly a hunter came running from the distance. As he was running he was calling for the Olo'eyktan in Na'vi.

"Olo'eyktan! Olo'eyktan! It is very bad!" The hunter rested his hands on his knees while trying to catch his breath. "What is it?" asked the Olo'eyktan.

"It is very bad! The skypeople, they have captured the others! They are going to kill them!"


	8. Chapter 8

People began to worry as they discussed the situation with each other. Soon all the people within the area were showing signs of panic. The Olo'eyktan tried to calm everyone down but it didn't seem to work. Tsuwokan then walked to the Olo'eyktan and yelled out loud.

"SILENCE! Olo'eyktan wishes to speak." He said. He then bowed his head to the Olo'eyktan as a sign for continuing to speak.

"Thank you Tsuwokan. Now everybody, calm down. As far as we know they have been captured, not killed. However we do not have a lot of time. We will have to go and rescue them, it is a dangerous task but it is a risk we must take." Tsuwokan then stepped forward and called for people to join him.

"Anyone who wishes to join me, step forward." he said.

Dr. Eileen felt uncomfortable with this idea and began to talk quietly with the Olo'eyktan.

"Olo'eyktan, please do not let this happen. More of your people will die. I am a dreamwalker, I can reason with them. Please, let me do this. Enough of your people have died already."

The Olo'eyktan looked at her. His facial expression showed that he was thinking about what she had just said. He then closed his eyes and sighed. "Olo'eyktan please, let me do this" said Dr. Eileen. After a moment of further thinking, the Olo'eyktan walked over to Tsuwokan and placed his hand on his shoulder. With a calm voice, he told him to not go ahead with the plan. Tsuwokan turned around and looked angry. He then looked at Dr. Eileen. He knew what had been said.

"YOU! You do not make decisions! Go away!" said Tsuwokan. He was slightly being held back by the Olo'eyktan. Dr. Eileen didn't reply. She didn't have to. After what happened two years ago she couldn't let anymore of the Takahayo people die. It would only bring back the grief. The Olo'eyktan gently pushed Tsuwokan back and looked him in the eye. "I understand how you feel" he said in a soft voice. He then continued in a louder voice. "You will go and rescue the people, but Dr. Eileen will lead the way." He then turned to Dr. Eileen. "Please be careful, Gillian" he said. Dr. Eileen nodded and began to make her way out of the area. Tsuwokan and a few warriors, including Bakteyo and Aketuan, followed her lead. As she was jogging, Dr. Eileen tried to look for Tak but he was nowhere to be seen.

Tak had already made it more than half way back to the shacks. Once he got there, he went to his tent and got his back pack. He emptied the bag and filled it with medical supplies. He also put the mask in. After finding his hunting knife, he then ran back to the river and followed it as if he was going back to hometree. Instead of diverging from the river, he continued to follow it a bit further and then made his way into the thick growth. Judging by the direction that the hunter had come from, he headed in that direction in search for the captured Na'vi group. As he ran through the forest he started to question himself about his actions in his mind.

"You stupid motherfucker, do you know what you're getting yourself into? Nope, but I guess I'm about to find out. Dumb fuck! You're already on a warning from the colonel! What are you going to do if he finds out about what you're about to do? Good question, what am I about to do?"

After running for quite some time, he noticed that there were a few medium sized animals. He had seen a few Hexapedes and Tapiruses. The Na'vi did hunt these for food. Was he near? He sure was. Walking a few more steps to come up to a thick wall of plants, he peeped through the gaps to see four Na'vi hunters lying on the ground. They looked like they were in pain as they tried to get up on to their feet. He also heard some talking and laughter. Four RDA soldiers were circling them as they tortured the Na'vi. One of the Na'vi looked up at one of the soldiers and gave him a death stare. He was then hit in the head by the stock of the gun. The soldiers laughed.

"HAHAHAHAHA, stupid motherfucken blue monkeys! God damn I love this job!" said one of the soldiers. He kneeled down beside the Na'vi. "I think I'm going to kill you now." he said. Tak had to do something quick. He opened his bag and took out his mask. He looked at it. The mask looked back at him. He felt like it was trying to tell him something. Was he given this mask for a reason? Who knows, but he knew what had to be done. He took off his shirt and kept his black singlet on. He then picked up some dirt from the ground and rubbed it around his eyes and on his arms to darken the area. He put on the mask and got out his knife. Not knowing how this was going to end, he shook one of the plants. The soldiers heard it.

"What the fuck was that?" said the soldier kneeling down. He ordered another to go and check it out. Tak was waiting to the side with his knife. The soldier's gun poked through the plants, and so did the soldier. He quickly turned to the left and the right. Too late. Tak grabbed his gun, pulled him forward and jammed the knife deep into the soldier's throat. The soldier didn't even have time to yell. Tak finished him off by pulling out the knife and repeatedly stabbed him in the throat. More blood poured out with every stab. He picked up the gun and held it like it was a toy. The other soldiers were getting very suspicious as they hadn't heard a reply. They all decided to hold their positions. Tak took aim at one soldier. He then pulled the trigger. A clean headshot. He quickly ran to another section of the wall as the soldiers opened fire.

"FUCK! Where the fuck did that come from?" yelled a soldier. The remaining two were now circling with their guns, trying to look for the killer. Tak took aim again at another soldier. Slowly exhaling, he pulled the trigger. Another clean headshot. He then ran to a tree and hid behind the trunk. The last soldier opened fire on the whole wall of plants. His frustration and fear was building up.

"FUCKEN SHOW YOURSELF!" he yelled. The birds in the canopy flew away from his yell. As they did, they caused to the branches above to make noise. The soldier was easily distracted by this and aimed his gun in the air. Tak took this short moment to aim and fire at the soldier. He hit the soldier, but it wasn't a headshot. The bullet entered the soldier's neck and exited through the other side. The soldier dropped his gun to seal both wounds with his hands. He collapsed to the ground and gasped as he was slowly dying. Tak walked over to the soldier and switched his gun to automatic. He stood over the extremely scared soldier and pointed the gun in his face. He emptied the clip as blood and glass from the exopack flew everywhere. The soldier was unrecognizable as all that remained was a shredded pile of skin, flesh and bone drenched in blood. The hunters were scared even though this stranger had saved them. Tak walked around to every Na'vi and inspected their injuries. They had all been shot but it was nothing serious. He bandaged their wounds and helped them sit up. The last Na'vi he bandaged was saying something to him in Na'vi.

"She went that way. Please…..help her" he said, pointing in a direction. Tak put the roll of bandage in his pocket, picked up the clips of ammo from the ground and ran in the pointed direction. He ran until he saw a large, arched tree trunk that formed a natural bridge. He also saw three dead bodies. Human bodies. Two of them had arrows sticking out of them while the other was covered in blood. It was an open area so he had to be careful. He crept up to the trunk and looked to the side to see a female Na'vi lying on the ground. She was crawling to try and get something. An RDA soldier followed her slowly. He kicked her and she painfully screamed. She rolled over onto her back as she stared at the soldier. Tak walked up the arched tree trunk. The soldier pointed the barrel of his gun to the Na'vi female's face. She continued to stare back at him until something else caught her attention. A large figure was standing on the tree trunk and was looking down. Just as the soldier was about to execute her, Tak jumped down and stood behind him. The soldier heard him land and turned around quickly. Tak grabbed his gun and kicked him hard, sending him flying a few meters. He then walked over to the soldier and stepped on his face, breaking the exopack and his skull. Tak left his foot there for a while before making his way back to the injured Na'vi female. She was badly wounded with multiple gun shots to the leg, waist and back. Tak kneeled down beside her and took out the roll of bandage. As he did, the Na'vi grabbed her knife and tried to stab him but Tak grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her. She continued to try but gave up as her strength was running out. She lay there, staring into Tak's eyes. Partly blinded by the little sunlight which got through the canopy, all she could see was a pair of eyes behind a mask. His gold eyes were heavily shadowed but stood out from the dirt on his face. Tak bandaged her and picked her up. He carried her in his arms while making his way back to the other Na'vi. On the way the female Na'vi had passed out due to all her energy been used in fighting the RDA soldiers and the amount of blood she had lost.

Tak finally reached the area where the others had been waiting. However Dr. Eileen and the others had got there before he had. Not wanting to be caught, he left the Na'vi in an open area for her to be found by the others. He then ran away back to the shacks. On the way he stopped by the river to wash the dirt off his face and arms and the blood off his hands. He put his shirt back on and continued back to the shacks. Dr. Eileen noticed the Na'vi had already been bandaged. She asked one of the hunters who helped them. "I do not know. I did not see his face, but he saved us all." replied the hunter. She then walked around to the others and made sure they were not in need of serious medical attention. She then inspected the dead human bodies. Two of them head a gunshot wound to the head. She walked over to the third body. She was extremely disturbed by what she saw. The heavily disfigured face, or rather what was left of it, made her a bit sick to her stomach. She closed her eyes and walked away.

When Tak got back to the shacks, he went inside his tent and emptied his bag. He returned the medical supplied to where he found them and put the mask inside the box under his bed. He then packed his bag with the scientific equipment in an attempt to hide all evidence of what he had just done. Lying on his bed with his eyes closed, waiting to awake in his human body, Tak thought about what he was going to say to Dr. Eileen if he was questioned. He woke up inside the link. He pushed open the lid to see Dr. Brent standing by the link.

"How was it?" he asked.

"Something happened" replied Tak.

"What do you mean, what happened?" asked Dr. Brent.

Tak shrugged his shoulders and walked to his bunk bed.

Back at hometree, Dr. Eileen and the others were carrying the injured hunters up the spiral core to the first level so they could be treated. She helped to treat the wounded. While doing so she asked more questions about what had happened. All of them told her the same thing, an anonymous Na'vi, obviously a dreamwalker because of the clothing, had killed the soldiers, bandaged their wounds and set off to search for the last member of the hunting group. After treating the injured, Dr. Eileen returned to the shacks. When she woke up from her link she was asked by the others about what had happened. "I'll explain later, where's Tak?" she asked. After being told he was lying on his bed, she walked over to him to ask a few questions.

"Hey, where did you go to?" she said.

"… here….." replied Tak in a calm manner.

"Oh ok…. I just don't understand why you left."

"I heard what happened, so I thought I would run back here to get some medical supplies, but when I got back to hometree you had left, so I decided to return here"

Tak's extremely calm manner was very convincing. Dr. Eileen didn't suspect he had anything to do with the rescuing of the hunters, or the murder of the soldiers.

"That was thoughtful of you. But we really had to go, well anyway, luckily we found them. They were ok. Some stranger helped them and bandaged their wounds." she said. Tak didn't reply and continued to read notes he had made on his research.

Later that night during dinner Dr. Eileen explained what had happened to everyone. After dinner Tak decided to return to his bed and play his guitar while the others continued to discuss what Dr. Eileen had told them. Dr. Eileen decided to return to hometree to see how the injured were doing. She entered hometree and was greeted by a few people.

"How are they doing?" she asked. "They are resting." replied a Na'vi. Dr. Eileen made her way to where the injured were resting. They were asleep from the plants and herbs they had taken, a side effect of the medicine that accelerates healing. However one of the hunters was still not asleep. Dr. Eileen walked over to see it was the badly wounded female that Tak had saved. She hadn't talked to her yet as she was unconscious when she was found. Dr. Eileen sat down next to her.

"Hey, are you ok?" she asked. The female Na'vi nodded slowly with a small smile.

"What happened?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"We were attacked. I escaped but they chased me. I killed three of them but I was hurt. I was going to die. But then he came and saved me." Replied the female Na'vi in a soft voice.

"Who?" asked Dr. Eileen.

Not knowing who it was but feeling very thankful, the female Na'vi gave Dr. Eileen another small smile before closing her eyes to get some rest.


	9. Chapter 9

When Tak woke up the next day, he stayed in his bed thinking about the crazy shit he had got himself into. Looking at the top of the bunk bed, he began to question himself just like when he was running to help the Na'vi. "What the fuck have you done Tak?" he said to himself in his mind. But this time he didn't know how to answer his own question. Not only did he betray his own race, but he had killed five people. But this probably wasn't the first time he had killed someone. All those fights he got into back on earth always ended in a bloody mess. And by the way he would finish off his opponents, some of them probably died. Tak never started a fight, but he would always end one. But in the western suburbs of Sydney where crime rates were extremely high, a dead body was nothing special. Police did a poor job at solving homicides as they saw it as a big help in reducing overpopulation. And besides, it's the western suburbs, so who gives a fuck.

While lying in his bed, Dr. Eileen walked past him and saw that his eyes were open. She walked back to him and sat on his bed next to him. "Hey, you're finally awake." she said. Still thinking about what happened the day before, she decided to question Tak more as his answers seemed very brief.

"So, about yesterday... where did you go to after we left you behind?" Tak answered her question, again with short answers.

"Here" he said.

"Well I was talking to Dr. Dale before and he said you got back not too long before me. Did you go somewhere?"

"Yeah, I went for a walk."

Dr. Eileen was now a bit suspicious. If he had gone for a walk then why didn't he tell her so the day before? And if he got back not too long before she had then could he have been the one who murdered the soldiers? Not wanting to lose his trust, Dr. Eileen decided to stop asking questions.

"Oh ok, how was it?" she asked, trying to change the topic.

"It was nice, I like this place a lot" replied Tak. Dr. Eileen smiled after hearing the first positive comment from him. "Well, time to get up!" she said, and walked back to her desk. Tak stared at the top of the bunk bed for another minute before getting out of bed.

It was just before noon while everyone was working at their desks. The scientists were continuing with their research while Alan read through some of the outdated science magazines. The sound of rotors could be heard coming from outside. Everyone but Tak went to look out the window. A soldier hopped out of the Samson and walked towards the shacks. He then entered the first door and knocked. After being let in he called for everyone to gather.

"Alright people listen up, Colonel Hilton has called for an urgent meeting with everyone so I need you to make your way to the chopper. You will be transported to the FEBA base where the meeting will be broadcasted. Do not waste my time! Let's go!"

Without questioning the soldier, everyone got an exopack and made their way outside to the Samson. They got on and took off, heading for the FEBA base. The team kept quiet on the trip as they knew what this was about but risked getting into trouble as they did not report it. Dr. Eileen tried to act like she knew absolutely nothing and asked the soldier what this was all about.

"So why is the colonel calling a meeting?" she asked.

"10 dead bodies were found this morning in the FEBA. Not too far from where you're posted at. We thought it was just another fight between us and the monkeys until we recovered bullets in three of them. The colonel suspects there's a traitor working for the blue skins." he replied.

The team arrived at the FEBA base. They entered the main building and made their way to the hall. It was full of soldiers, mechanics and the base staff. After finding a place to sit, the meeting began to broadcast from Hell's Gate. Colonel Hilton appeared on the large screen and he began to talk.

"This morning, ten dead bodies were found deep in the forward edge of the battle area. Although no bodies of the natives were recovered from the site, we do believe it was an attack by them. However, after close examination, three of the bodies were found to have gunshot wounds. THIS, was not done by the natives. It was done by one of us." Colonel Hilton paused for a brief moment before he continued. "I want you to, take a good look, at the people around you. One or more of them, could be the traitor. These people have decided to turn their backs on us, and on the entire human race, in order to help the natives that we fight so very hard every day, in order to survive." Colonel Hilton was furious. However this didn't show as he did an excellent job keeping his composure. "I urge every single one of you to keep your eyes and ears open for any suspicious individuals or groups. If you see or hear anything that you suspect is linked to what we are dealing with, report it STRAIGHT AWAY." His voice and tone was very dominating. It made innocent people question themselves to the point where they would go insane and admit to their false crimes. "And finally, to whoever you are, you've made a BIG mistake. It's only a matter of time before I find you. And when I do, I'm going to make you wish you had never stepped foot on this place. You are a traitor and you will be punished."

Colonel Hilton walked out of the camera to end the meeting. Back at the FEBA base everyone was walking out of the hall. On their way to the exit, Dr. Eileen and Tak were stopped by soldiers.

"Dr. Eileen, I need you to come with me back to Hell's Gate. Colonel Hilton has requested to meet you. Dr. Ling, you are required to undertake mandatory weapons training. Our records show you haven't begun this so you'll need to proceed to the firing range to do so." Tak followed another soldier to the firing range while Dr. Eileen was taken to the chopper waiting outside. The rest of the team were left behind. "So what do we do?" asked Dr. Isaac. The others shrugged. Tak was taken to the firing range. It was located outside and had targets lined up behind a small man made hill. Tak was explained on how to handle a pistol. The supervisor explained the components of the gun, how to hold it, aim with it, load it, shoot it and what to do once finished, but Tak wasn't listening. He already knew all of this. Getting a gun back on earth was too easy. Every Saturday after judo practice Tak would return home and get his gun to go shoot some rounds at an abandoned warehouse. It was a large empty building that was perfect for a shooting range. He would practice on anything he could find, the most common things been beer bottles and aluminium cans. He taught himself everything through watching movies, documentaries and videos on the internet and putting this to practice. The occasional FPS helped as well as it improved his hand eye coordination. Although he was no expert shooter, headshots from a few metres away was nothing hard. Tak took aim and fired at the target that was set 25m away. After firing two clips of rounds, the targets were brought in. Not bad for a "first timer". The targets were then set to move. He emptied a clip on the target as it moved from side to side. Again, it was brought back in. The holes were scattered around the target with a few around the middle.

Tak took out the clip and placed it on the bench. He signed the log book to record his minutes of weapons training and returned to the hall. The others were gone. He walked around the base until he reached the small leisure room where he spotted the team working out. Dr. Isaac was running on a tread mill while Dr. Dale was helping Dr. Brent at one of the bench presses. Alan had no trouble with the bench press, as he could be seen doing 85kg with ease. Dr. Isaac hopped off the treadmill as she spotted Tak.

"Hey, how was the training? It's not too hard right?" she said. Tak shook his head to signify a no.

"Dr. Eileen had to return to Hell's Gate so we thought we'd all get some exercise done."

Tak wanted to leave as he hated being in a place full of aggressive, macho, military pricks. "How much longer are you staying?" he asked. "Well I can leave any time, but these guys may want to stay a little longer" she replied. Tak hadn't exercised in his human body since leaving Hell's Gate. He knew he had to keep up his strength and stamina or else the low Pandoran gravity would and scientist's lifestyle would reduce him to a useless, weak, unfit piece of shit. That's when he came up with an incredibly stupid yet brilliant idea.

"Can't you do this back at the shacks?" he asked Dr. Isaac.

"Yeah we could, if we had all this stuff" she said sarcastically.

"Well why don't we bring back over to the shacks?" he said. Dr. Isaac game him a look that obviously said "Are you serious?". Tak called the other two who felt extremely pumped as they had finished their sets on the bench press.

"Hey, you want to help me get some of this stuff on to the helicopter?" he said. Dr. Dale and Dr. Brent had never done anything rebellious during their time on Pandora. Feeling adventurous and wanting to get back at the marines who belittled scientists, the two agreed without even thinking about it. The three began to take dumbbells and bench press weights to the helicopter. Dr. Isaac tried to convince them it was a bad idea.

"Hey guys, guys, hey listen! This is such a bad idea, you're going to get caught." she said, but no one was listening to her. "Stop stealing the stuff! You're going to get us all into trouble! Guys! Gu- Oh fuck it, what the hell" After giving up, she decided to join in and took some light dumbbells. Alan noticed what was going on and stopped them.

"Hey! What the fuck are you all doing? You can't just take this stuff!" he said. Feeling awesome, Dr. Dale replied. "Really? Says who?" Dr. Brent backed him up "Yeah, says who? HAHAHA! Look, he's scared!" The two of them carried on while Alan stared in slight shock. He couldn't believe it, scientists were stealing from marines! Tak then returned and saw Alan's face.

"You going to help us or not?" he asked. Alan caved into the peer pressure and looked around to see if anyone was around. He then took the bench press bar and returned to help Tak with the bench. "Alan, you dumbass. What are you doing..." he said to himself. After loading the helicopter with the equipment, they team hopped on and returned to the shacks.

Back at Hell's Gate, Dr. Eileen was been questioned about the murder of the soldiers. Standing in Colonel Hilton's office, she felt a bit nervous and intimidated by the colonel.

"I thought I'd ask you some questions since your location is the closest to where the incident happened yesterday. Did you know about it?" he asked, directly looking into Dr. Eileen's eyes. She did her best to keep calm and maintain eye contact.

"No, not at all." she replied.

"What were you doing yesterday during the afternoon?"

"I went out in my Avatar with two other scientists to continue research on the plants."

"And where exactly are these plants?"

"Ahh, I would say within a 100m radius. Maybe a bit more."

"I see, so you wouldn't have heard anything then. What was the rest of the group doing?"

"They were in the shack."

Colonel Hilton re asked his question.

"I didn't ask where they were, I asked what they were doing."

"Well I don't know what they were doing, all I know is they were inside."

"Then that's all you had to say."

Dr. Eileen was getting more intimidated by his interrogation. However she managed to keep calm, not showing any signs of breaking under the pressure. Colonel Hilton then proceeded to ask her about the research.

"So have you found anything new? You do remember that you moved out there specifically to get us valuable results as you said, yes?"

"Yes I do remember and yes we have been gaining new information. I'll send a report to the main lab as soon as I get back."

Colonel Hilton looked out the window of his office and down at the large open area full of gunships and ground staff. As he did, he thought about whether Dr. Eileen could be a possible suspect. He concluded that she wasn't but gave her a warning.

"I understand that you have developed close relations with the natives of the area you're currently located at over the past few years. It's good that you've managed to make peace with the people, but you try anything fancy and you will face the consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes colonel" replied Dr. Eileen, feeling extremely intimidated and a little angry. Colonel Hilton turned to face her. "Good, I'm glad you understand. You are dismissed" he said and Dr. Eileen made her way outside and to the Samson that waited to take her back to the shacks.

The Samson made its way through the opening in the forest canopy and landed. As Dr. Eileen hopped out she saw that Dr. Dale, Dr. Brent and Tak were outside the shacks and had setup their own little gym. She approached Dr. Dale.

"Where the hell did you guys get all this stuff?" she asked. "We stole it, from the base." He replied with a smile. He then asked her a question.

"What did the Colonel want?"

"He just asked me if I knew anything about what happened yesterday, I told him I didn't."

"Did he buy it?"

"Sure did!"

The two high fived each other and went back inside. Dr. Brent also went back inside. Tak stayed as he wasn't done exercising. After completing he went inside to get a drink of water and returned back out to sit on the bench. Alan then came outside and walked towards him. He brought a chair and sat next to Tak.

"Hey, I need to talk to you about something." He said.

"ok" replied Tak.

"Ok, so... I'm really fucken confused right now. I don't know who I am anymore." Tak was listening but thought this was going to be a long speech about some sentimental crap which he wasn't interested in. Alan continued.

"Ever since getting here, on this planet, I feel like I've been changing. You know, cause, I mean look around you! How could this, this natural beauty not make you feel something? You know, something special? I don't really know how to explain it but anyway, like, I'm a fucken soldier right? It should be in my blood to shoot anything that moves right? Yet I don't because I'm blown away by this world. It's like I was meant to be something else you know? Like I was me-"

"What the fuck is your point?" interrupted Tak. After a pause Alan continued.

"Ok, ok. You know how last night doc was telling us about what happened? Well, you know, me being a soldier, I feel like it's my responsibility to go and report her to the Colonel. But, you know. I just don't want to. I mean, she's really nice and everything. And although there's no fucken way I can become a scientist, it's too late for that shit, I just know that I can learn so much from her. You know? I want to be part of this, whole thing. But I'm a soldier and I know that... FUCK! I don't know, I don't know what to do. I should report her but... I don't know. I mean why did she even tell us? She said it right in front of me!"

Alan's mixed feelings had put him in between the two opposite sides. Tak then gave him a little push in order to help him make his decision.

"Well why did you come here then?" he asked.

"To escape earth, and to protect the people. I mean us, not them" he replied.

There was a moment of silence as Alan thought hard about who he really was. He then made his decision.

"Fuck it, I'm going to report this to the Colonel." He said.

"Is that so?" replied Tak.

"Yeah, I mean, I can't let this build up. I'm going insane. I'm going to have to report this." As Alan stood up to return to the shacks, Tak stood up as well and replied to Alan.

"Sorry but I can't let you do that."


	10. Chapter 10

Alan looked at Tak with a suspicious face. Tak was hiding something from him, and from everyone else. The two of them stood in front of each other, not saying a word. Alan didn't know what to do as the words that had just come out of Tak seemed hostile and came as a surprise. He thought for a while before finally deciding to run inside the shacks in attempts to lock Tak outside. The plan: keep Tak outside, take control of the others inside and call for backup. Alan ran to the door but Tak chased after him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and sleeve and pulled him away, throwing him down the stairs and to the ground. Alan landed hard and Tak jumped down. Alan grabbed him by the ankle and tried to pull him towards the ground but Tak resisted. With his free leg, he planted his foot into Alan's stomach which made made him curl into a ball while holding his stomach in pain. He then kicked him hard and dropped to the ground and got behind him. He worked his right arm around his neck and grabbed onto his left hand. Applying pressure to the blood vessel on the side of the neck, Tak strangled Alan who tried to get himself free from Tak's strong grip. It was no use. His face was becoming red and he felt like his eyes were going to explode. He then lost consciousness. Tak kept the pressure on for a bit more to make sure that he was really unconscious. After letting go, he got up and dragged Alan up the stairs and to the door. He opened the door and dragged Alan inside, closed the door and waited for the air to be filtered out before proceeding into the shacks. He dragged Alan to his bed and then went to the research area and looked through the desks for something to tie Alan's hands and feet together. The others saw Tak doing so and wondered what he was looking for.

"What are you looking for?" asked Dr. Eileen.

Tak didn't reply. He didn't find anything so he took the bed sheet from Alan's bed and ripped it into long strips and used them to tie Alan's hands and feet. Dr. Eileen wasn't sure what Tak was up to so she went to him and saw Tak tying Alan up.

"Wooow, wait. What are you doing?" she asked.

"He fucken knows now because you told him last night." replied Tak. He then continued to tie Alan as he mumbled "fucken idiot", referring to Dr. Eileen.

"What are you talking about?" asked Dr. Eileen, obviously confused about what was going on.

Tak finished tying up Alan and faced her. "Last night you told everyone about what happened yesterday, well maybe you FORGOT that Alan was there as well. And he now knows that you knew what happened. And he was going to fucking snitch to the colonel but I stopped him." replied Tak. He wasn't as angry as he had been before, but he wasn't in a good mood.

"Oh, oh shit. Ooooh shit, shit. I didn't realize. I mean, I didn't even stop to... think that he would..." Disappointed in her own carelessness, she sighed and sat on the bed, placing her face into her hands. "What have I gotten us into... fuck. Stupid, stupid me." She said.

"Yeah, well just be careful next time"

There was a moment of silence while Dr. Eileen thought about how careless she had been and while Tak thought about what to do next. Dr. Eileen broke the silence.

"So what now?" she asked.

Tak was still thinking about what to do. It took him a while to answer the question. "Only one thing to do." he said while looking at the ground.

"What's that?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"We need to get rid of him. I'll take him out into the forest and kill him, then I'll try and hide the body. Maybe some of the animals will find him tasty." he said.

Dr. Eileen was shocked at his solution. However she didn't have a better idea so she kept quiet. Tak asked Dr. Eileen to setup the link. He got into the link and before the lid shut, he asked her to drag Alan to the door. Tak linked to his Avatar and woke up in his tent and grabbed his knife. He walked to the door and waited for Alan to arrive. It took a while as Alan was heavy for Dr. Eileen but she managed to get him to the door. Tak opened the door and got Alan. He put the unconscious body onto his shoulder and walked off into the distance. As he walked, he began to question himself as usual. "Wow, you've really got into this haven't you? Maybe you should quit research and kill soldiers full time? Yeah, sounds good. Then maybe you'll become friends with the Na'vi. Shit, maybe even that one Na'vi who fucken hates you will start to like you." he said to himself. Ignoring himself, he continued to walk. Alan then woke up. Upon opening his eyes, Alan noticed that he was above the ground and he was moving. It took him a while to realize he was being carried. He looked around to see he was being carried by a clothed Na'vi through the forest. He panicked and struggled to let himself free. This annoyed Tak so he threw him to the ground.

"Shut the fuck up!" yelled Tak. Alan turned around to face the Avatar. He was a lot bigger and looked a bit scary. Everywhere around Alan looked the same so running back to the shacks was impossible.

"What do you want from me..." asked Alan with a sign of fear in his voice.

"I'm going to fucking kill you." replied Tak.

"And then what? People are going to realize that I'm gone. You can't keep a secret forever."

"Maybe, but I'm still going to kill you."

Tak pulled out his knife. The sight of the shiny blade made Alan's hairs on his arm stick up. He was shaking with fear but there was nothing he could do. He then asked Tak a question.

"It was you ha? You killed those soldiers yesterday?... Why?"

"About fucken time genius. I was wondering when someone would figure it out." replied Tak sarcastically.

"You realize what you're doing? You just turned your back on the entire fucking human race! Your own kind! What the fuck's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? Motherfucker what's wrong with you? You don't see anything wrong with what's going on here? On this moon? You think it's for us to invade the home of another race and take what we want without permission and kill anything that gets in our way? Wow, you really are the fucken typical person. Consumed by your own ignorance, too fucken stupid to think for yourself. Think about where we come from. Pretty fucked up right? Do you think life is meant to be that way? Do you think we should be living such a lifestyle? In such an environment? In such a degraded society? I bet you never even stopped to think about it, fucken ignorant piece of shit. At least I know what I'm fighting for, you don't. That's the difference between me and you."

"And why would you want to fight for them? Please explain to me because I sure as hell can't fucken figure out why someone would want to do so!"

"Look at how they live. They respect the environment, they respect all the living things around them, and they respect each other. That's how us humans were supposed to be until we fucked up somewhere along the timeline. The Na'vi live a beautiful life and I envy that. I may not get along with them but they have something that I don't. The closest I'll ever get to having such a thing is to fight for its survival. It's just too bad that you don't see what I see. I'm done talking to you, fucken retard. I'm going to kill you."

Alan sat on the ground, thinking about what Tak had just said. Tak's words were seriously screwing with his mind. Everything he said was so antagonizing and completely against the human race yet it was so true. Alan had never stopped to think about the world he called home. It was far from beautiful. And here he was, on another world which he was fascinated with but ironically he wasn't willing to fight for. He was scared to do so. The uncertainty of who he really was came back. It was as if his conscience was giving him a second chance. Alan closed his eyes and lightly hit his head with his fist, trying to force out a decision. Tak approached him with the knife tightly gripped in his hand. Tak then picked him up by the collar and drew his knife back, ready to drive the blade into his neck. As Tak was about to do so, Alan spat out the words.

"I want to help." he said, with his eyes tightly closed. Noticing the absence of a blade deep in his neck, he opened his eyes slowly to face Tak. This sounded like bullshit to Tak but he stopped to listen to any last words Alan had to say.

"I know this may seem... hard to believe, but I see your point." said Alan. It didn't sound convincing at all, more like an excuse not to kill him.

"Oh do you? Right before I'm about to kill you, what a coincidence."

"I can help you. I can get you weapons from the base. I can find out what's going on, I can be an insider. You can use my help." Tak listened to what he said, but "weapons" stood out from the rest of the words. Now Tak was seeing Alan's point. He could be useful after all. He asked Alan to continue explaining.

"Oh really? And exactly how are you going to do that genius? And what the fuck are you going to do if you get caught?"

"I don't know, but... two people are better than one."

Seeing that Alan was emotionally unstable gave Tak the idea that he could easily be manipulated and could be of some help. Lowering the knife, he slowly eased his grip off Alan and stood in silence.

"Let's go. And don't try anything stupid or I WILL fucking kill you." said Tak. He waited for Alan to go in front and he followed him back to the shacks.

Back at the shacks, Dr. Eileen was explaining to the others what was going on.

"They just went for a walk. Alan said he wanted to see more of the forest so Tak took him on a tour." she said with a normal voice. She was very good at lying. She could have told them the truth but that probably would have unsettled them. However the others were still curious as to why Tak had searched through the desks. Dr. Eileen once again told them a load of crap.

"He was looking for his guitar pick, he said he left it somewhere on his desk. I guess he decided to go for a walk since he couldn't play his guitar. He's actually really good. You guys should listen to him sometime."

They then heard the sound of the door opening. Tak and Alan had returned from their "walk". Surprised to see Alan alive, Dr. Eileen knew there had been a change of plan. She walked with Alan back to the others and along the way began to talk about the "walk" through the forest.

"So how was it? Very beautiful isn't it?"

"Eeehhhh, yeah. I saw many interesting things."

The other scientists began to ask him questions about his first proper tour of the forest. Back at the link, Tak woke up and got out. He walked to his desk and sat down in front of it.

Alpha Centuri A decided to call it a day and it was now night. As usual, Tak separated himself from the rest of the group and went to his bed to read magazines, play his guitar or draw in his sketch book. But this time Alan also decided to have some alone time. He was outside the shacks, sitting on the stairs and looking up at the sky. Polyphemus cast a beam of light which shined through the opening in the forest canopy. Still in disarray over his decision, Alan stared at the gas giant that looked down on to him from above. He then heard the door open and turned around to see Dr. Eileen smiling at him.

"What are you doing out here?" she said as she sat down next to him. Alan looked down from the sky to the ground as he sighed.

"I'm so lost... I don't know who I am anymore."

"Is this something to do with what happened earlier today? You still haven't told me what happened."

"Well, you probably know already. You looked surprised to see me still alive."

"Heehe, yeah that I will admit. No but really, what's wrong?"

There was a moment of silence before Alan continued to speak.

"I don't know who I am. I came here as a soldier, and then I noticed myself changing. Feeling some sort of connection with the natural world. And now I'm caught in between. Well, it's nothing new. I felt like this during school. That's why I joined the army, because I never knew what I wanted to be. It was ok I guess, but I didn't last long."

"What happened?"

"I was relieved of my duty for disobeying orders. My commander thought it would be better to leave one of his men to die but I thought differently."

There was another moment of silence. Then Alan started to sniff. His eyes were beginning to fill with tears. "What am I doing?" he said, as the decay of his composure forced out more tears. Dr. Eileen held onto his shoulder and tried to calm him down. She then faced Alan and spoke to him.

"Hey, come on. Hey, hey hey, come on. Don't feel bad. We all feel like this sometimes. I did when I was in high school. My mother wanted me to become a lawyer or a doctor while my dad told me I should do whatever I wanted to. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do at the start either. But I found it, it took a while but I eventually found it."

Alan held back the tears and looked at Dr. Eileen. She had a special ability of making people around her feel at ease. She continued.

"You 're still finding out what you want to be. You maybe a soldier, but your job isn't everything. I know you love this place, I've seen it many times before. You were asking me all those questions about my research not too long ago, remember?"

Dr. Eileen's attempts at trying to convince him that he was one of her kind, one who "sees", and not one of them, those who don't "see", hadn't quite worked. Alan took a deep breath and held it. He took off his exopack to wipe the tears from his face and put it back on. Dr. Eileen then stood up. "Come on, let's go for a walk" she said. Alan stood up as well and followed her down the stairs. Dr. Eileen led the way through the bioluminescent night life. Alan followed closely as he stared at the life that surrounded him. This was nothing like what he had seen during the day time. Alan still wasn't sure why he was been taken on this walk, but his love for Pandora was now set in concrete. The two didn't walk too far away from the shacks as Pandora at night was dangerous. After 15 minutes of walking, they headed back to the shacks.

"Thanks for that, I don't know why but I feel a lot better now." said Alan with a slight smile on his face. Dr. Eileen returned the smile and the two walked back to the other scientists. Meanwhile, Tak had been letting out his misanthropic feelings onto paper with pencil. He was drawing humans ripping each other apart as their insides spewed out of their bodies. Disturbing, yet so true. A perfect picture which represented the human race in the 22nd century. Killing each other for their own selfish reasons. It was amazing what Tak could do with just a pencil and paper. All those years staying locked up in his room lead to the development of such a high level of artistic expression. After completing his drawing, he closed his sketch book and headed to the bathroom for a shower and to brush his teeth. Still being able to hear the conversation of the others, he went to the door which separated the two connected shacks and closed it. He then got into his bed and went to sleep.

The next morning Tak woke up early. He had his morning shower to fully wake him up and then got dressed and ate breakfast before continuing with his work. Surprised to see him awake this early, the others commented on his efforts to wake up earlier than usual. Dr. Eileen realized that he hadn't been out to do field work in a while so she decided to let one of the unlucky scientists stay behind so Tak could go instead. The others decided again with a game of scissors, paper, rock as to who would miss out. This time it was Dr. Dale and Dr. Isaac. As they finally decided who would go, Alan showed his eagerness to get outside.

"Let's go doc." he said. He was in a much better mood compared to the day before. The three scientists got in their links and into their Avatars where Alan awaited them. The group then headed off into the forest and decided to go to a new location with a new group of plants. On the way, Tak observed Alan's behaviour. He was obviously in a good mood. Tak didn't know why and he still didn't trust him. But seeing that his uncertainty in who he was seemed to have disappear, he decided to relax as that's what initially caused Alan to turn his back on the group. When the group reached their destination, they began observing the specimens, collecting samples and recording all sorts of data. It seemed like things had gone back to normal. Alan was asking his usual set of questions to Dr. Eileen while Tak was left alone to do his work in peace. There weren't many plants so not a lot of time was spent in the area. After the group got what they came for, they returned to the shacks. The scientists returned to their work and Alan occupied himself with a magazine.

Tak ate his lunch while he did his research. The "no food in the laboratory" rule obviously didn't stop him. When it was about time for his daily "therapy" he refused as he hadn't finished his work. Once on a roll he didn't like to be disturbed. Shortly after, he finished and he got back into his Avatar along with Dr. Eileen. As they walked to the links, Alan questioned Dr. Dale about their daily routine of going to hometree.

"Isn't is a bit unfair that he gets to go out every day and you guys don't? I mean, he does work n everything, but so do you guys." said Alan.

"Yeah but have you seen how much he gets done? It's insane! His concentration is something I wish I had during my high school and college years. It could've saved me all those late nights studying right before the exam." replied Dr. Brent.

"Yep, he's right. Besides, we're a lazy bunch!" added Dr. Isaac. Everyone laughed.

Tak and Dr. Eileen arrived at hometree. As usual they were greeted by kids running towards them. Dr. Eileen took Tak inside the hometree for his first visit. They walked towards where the injured hunters were resting but they were all gone.

"Hello Gillian." said a voice from behind. The two turned around to face the Tsahik.

"Oh hello." replied Dr. Eileen. She then introduced Tak to the Tsahik to which he nodded. As usual he didn't have anything to say. He stood there with his hands in his pockets while the Tsahik discussed with Dr. Eileen about the recent events.

"Thank you for helping our people." said the Tsahik.

"Don't mention it, it was nothing. By the way where are they? Obviously they're not resting so I guess they're back to doing the usual stuff?"

"Yes they fine. Their wounds are still not healed but they can walk. Thank you for helping us, you have always showed kindness to us."

The greeted each other a goodbye before the Tsahik left. "Well, I guess she doesn't mind us being inside their home. Come on, I'll show you around." Dr. Eileen took Tak around the hometree. She showed him all the parts of the tree, taking him on a tour as if it were her own home. They stopped before the top level which went outside to the branches.

"What's out there?" asked Tak.

"The Ikrans, only the clan members go out there. We would get ripped to pieces by those creatures."

Tak was interested. Anything that could rip apart something to pieces would always get his attention. "Cool" he said. They headed back down to ground level and exited the hometree. As they walked out they ran into Tsuwokan. He gave an unfriendly look to Tak as he walked away.

"What's that assholes problem" said Tak.

"He wasn't always like that." replied Dr. Eileen. She then began to retell the unfortunate events that lead to Tsuwokan's attitude.

"It was two years ago, I was here teaching the children some English. That's when she came from the distance. She was struggling with every step, covered in her own blood. She had gunshot wounds on her legs and torso." Dr. Eileen began to feel an uncomfortable feeling inside her.

"...Who's this you're talking about?" asked Tak.

"Oh, ehh. Tsuwokan's mate. Yeah, it was really... hard to watch. People gathered around and began to panic. Tsuwokan came and ran towards her. She collapsed into his arms."

Dr. Eileen's eyes began to fill with tears but she tried hard to hold them back. Her voice began to tremble as she forced out the words from her mouth.

"Tsuwokan held her tightly as they said their last words to each other... and then she died in his arms." She took a deep breath and continued. "After that Tsuwokan lost his trust in all of us. He blamed us for bringing pain and suffering to his people."

As Dr. Eileen wiped her tears, Tak stood there in silence. He was unable to comprehend the unfortunate events as he was an emotionless being when it came to death. Just like when his grandfather died, he felt nothing. However he now understood why Tsuwokan was the way he was.

"Yeah, well. That's what happened." said Dr. Eileen. The two walked into the open. Tak sat down on the moss covered log as usual as he watched Dr. Eileen go and talk to some of the people. Thinking about the events of the past two days, he wondered what was going to happen. He asked himself all sorts of questions. What's next? How are you going to fight this fight? How are you going to do it with only you and Alan. Is Alan even on your side? He decided to look at something else and that's when his eyes caught a glimpse of Tsuwokan who was standing on his own as he looked at the people go on with their daily activities. Tak got up and walked to him. Before reaching Tsuwokan, their eyes locked onto each others.

"What do you want?" said Tsuwokan in an aggressive tone. Tak stared at him for a while before answering his question with a question.

"You like killing skypeople?" asked Tak.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do. You. Like. To. Kill. Sky. People?

Tsuwokan couldn't understand why he was being asked such a question, not to mention from an Avatar that was controlled by a skyperson. He gave Tak a confused look to which Tak explained his reasons for asking such a thing.

"You and me, we have something in common you know? You know what? We could be friends? Wow, wouldn't that be some shit? Me actually making a friend."

"I am not your friend!"

"Ooooooo... getting a bit angry... it's ok. I understand. After what happened to your mate, but eh. That's none of my business."

The conversation ended there and Tak walked away. He decided he would go and look for his only friend, the little boy who he had not seen since the incident. While walking around and searching for the boy, Tak bumped into one of the people. The person verbally let out a sign of annoyance. They locked eyes and stared for a few seconds before the person walked off. She was a very beautiful, young lady. She had bandages around her right leg, a patch on her waist and a few on her back. Tak instantly recognised her as the hunter he saved from death two days ago but she didn't recognise him at all. Tak finally found his friend and the two went off to the small river to make dirt castles.

Later that night back at the shacks while Dr. Eileen was having her usual chat with the scientists, Tak and Alan were discussing outside the shacks as to how they would go about helping the Takahayo clan.

"So what, you're just going to keep killing whoever you see?" asked Alan.

"No not me, we. You're in this as well, or did you forget already?" replied Tak.

"... You still don't trust do you."

"No I don't. I don't think you've got the balls to kill anyone."

"I was in the army, I've probably experienced more intense shit than you bro."

"Then prove it to me."

"Yeah I fucken will, but anyway. So look, I can get weapons. I can steal some from the FEBA base but I won't be able to get lots of stuff instantly. And we're going to have to stash it all somewhere. Any ideas?"

"I'll find somewhere."

The two stayed outside for a little longer before returning inside. This was the beginning of their fight against their own kind.


	11. Chapter 11

Tak woke up late the next morning as usual. However today he didn't want to do any work. For nearly two weeks he had been at his desk writing reports and working on the computer every day, very boring and repetitive stuff. He had a quick shower and got dressed. Walking into where everyone was with his cereal, he sat down at his desk and ate his breakfast while looking out the window. He then turned on his laptop and played some rap to start the day. As N.W.A. bumped from the laptop speakers, Tak played one of his games. Alan sung along to the song.

"I gotta get paid, paid in a hurry see. I gotta have it if I'm not paid fully. I start talkin, makin sure my shit is steady bumpin, a nigga'z always into somethin! Hehehehe I love this shit!" he said.

Dr. Eileen turned to laugh at him. She was glad he was in a good mood. Tak continued to play his game. No one seemed to care as they probably took notice of how hard he had been working his ass off ever since he joined them. Alan continued to sing along as he walked to the food cabinet to get a snack. The food supply was low.

"Hey guys! We're nearly out of food!" he shouted to the others.

"OK!" replied Dr. Eileen. She started a video call back to Hell's Gate to request for refill on supplies. A connection was established and one of the Hell's Gate logistics staff appeared on the screen.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Gillian Eileen. I'm currently located at the FEBA with my team. Just wanted to request a helicopter to come over here and bring supplies, we're running low." She said

"Yep, just let me see what I can do" replied the staff. "Mmmmmm... looks like you guys are there under special circumstances. I'll need to get an OK from the higher ups. I'll see what I can do. Just stay online and I'll get back to you"

"Alright thanks" replied Dr. Eileen. The video call ended.

"Why can't they just send us stuff? It's not that hard." said Dr. Isaac.

"Well the lady did say we were here under special circumstances. You think the colonel's got something to do with this?" said Dr. Dale.

"Yeah he probably doesn't trust us." said Dr. Brent.

"Or maybe he won't give us what we want unless we give him what he wants. After all we are supposed to be here just to make them more money, you know with the plants." said Dr. Eileen.

After ten minutes the logistics lady called them back.

"Ok, well looks like you guys are going to get what you need." she said.

"Oh excellent!" replied Dr. Eileen.

"One of the scientists will bring the stuff over. Until then try not to starve to death hahahaha."

"Scientist?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"Yeah, delivering supplies to a group of scientists isn't considered important so my boss said to get one the, to do the job. Don't worry, there are a number of scientists who are trained pilots as well."

It took quite a while, but the helicopter arrived before noon. It landed outside the shacks and it was loaded with boxes. "Hey you two, you want to go out and unload the stuff? It's not like you're doing anything right? Hehehehe" said Dr. Isaac. Tak and Alan put on their exopacks and walked outside to the Samson. As they approached it, the pilot became more recognisable to Tak. The pilot then waved to Tak. She put on an exopack and hopped out of the cockpit.

"Hey! I didn't know you were here! I was wondering where you were since I haven't seen you for a while back at Hell's Gate."

"Oh, hey Yuki... I didn't know you could fly one of these things."

"Yeah well during college I was also taking flying lessons. I always wanted to fly one of these. They're so cool!"

"Cool, well thanks for bringing the stuff."

Alan saw Tak and Yuki were talking to each other and assuming they were friends, he was surprised to see that Tak actually had a friend. He walked over and introduced himself.

"Hey, I'm Alan. You two know each other or something?" he asked.

"Yeah, we went to the same college. Hahaha!"

"Oh really? You probably didn't expect to run into each other on another fucken planet did you. Hahahaha! Aaaahh well, let's unload the stuff." As Alan walked off, Tak corrected Alan softly. "It's a moon you dumb shit." he said. As the two of them unloaded the goods from the Samson and carried them to the shack door, Yuki began to chat with Tak.

"So did you hear about what happened to those men a few days ago?"

"Yeah"

"Wasn't it close to here? Oh my god you should be careful. The Na'vi are dangerous."

"Really? I'll keep that in mind."

"Yeah, but no only that. The colonel said there's a traitor among us. Like, as in US. Humans. I'm a bit worried to be honest. I just hope I don't do anything to make myself a target."

"Just mind your own business and you'll be alright."

After carrying all the goods to the door, Yuki began to walk back to the cockpit. Tak called out to her.

"Hey wait up! After we get all the stuff inside can you fly me and Alan to the FEBA base? I need to do some mandatory weapons training. Alan needs to get some ammo." he said.

"Yeah sure, that reminds me. I need to get started on that."

Tak and Alan carried the goods into the shacks and left them for the others to open and sort. The two then hopped into the Samson and they took off. On the way Alan was showing off to Tak by leaning out of the side. "Hey look! No hands!" he said as he let go for split seconds. "HEY! That's dangerous!" said Yuki, showing her concern. They soon arrived at the base and went straight to the shooting range. Tak got straight into it while Yuki was explained the procedure. Tak fired rounds from the pistol and signed the log book before leaving. "I'll wait for you at the chopper" he said to Yuki. He met up with Alan and they went to the armoury. They approached a soldier who was on duty in the little booth. Alan told Tak to leave the talking to him.

"Hey, wassup. I need a few more clips and this guy needs a weapon." said Alan to the on duty soldier.

"You authorized?" he asked. He didn't seem like an intelligent person, or someone who knew the rules.

"Of course. I'm a sergeant, I'm allowed access to ammunition. And he's completed enough weapons training to have his own gun."

The soldier stopped reading his comic and turned to face Alan "You're not bullshitting me are you?"

"Bullshitting you? Fuck no! Why would I? Dude, I just need more rounds so I can get back out there and kill more of those fucken blue bastards ok. He just needs a piece to protect himself. Yeah?"

The soldier took a long look at Alan before allowing them into the armoury. Alan told Tak to go ahead as he wanted to keep talking to the soldier in attempts to earn his trust.

"Dude, if you knew what I have to deal with, you wouldn't hesitate to let me in. Yesterday I had to escort a group of those geeks into the jungle right. I killed four of those bat things and also took out two viperwolves."

The soldier was amazed to hear of such action. "Really? You got to shoot shit? Damn, sounds fun. I'm stuck here for most of the day. Well, it's only once every 2 weeks so I guess it's ok. I've only killed one of those blue monkeys. A few flying things but they're easy."

"Only one? I've killed four. Well, you'll get better at it."

Feeling like he had made a good start to earning the soldiers trust, he joined Tak in the armoury. It was a large room packed with racks of guns and ammunition. At the back there was body armour. Tak's love for guns got hold of him and he was now like a kid in a candy store. Alan was no different. They walked up and down the aisles, checking out the wide range of weapons. "Oh yeah, because you're just a scientist you're only allowed a pistol, so choose carefully". Tak continued to look at the automatic rifles while Alan was looking at the automatic shotguns. Tak made his way to the pistol section. He was no gun expert but if it was big then he liked it. He then began to pick out pistols that caught his attention. He then brought them back to a table and went back to look at the guns. Alan had chosen an automatic shotgun and was now looking for a replacement for his current automatic rifle. He made his way to the appropriate aisle and looked at the many guns. He picked one up, held it in both hands and aimed with it. Liking the feel of it, as well as it's looks, he walked off with it and went to look for Tak. Seeing the selection of pistols on the table he called to Tak who came back to the table.

"Hey, hey. What the hell's all this? You can't take this many guns."

"I know, so help me choose. But I am taking at least two."

"Ah ok. Well let's see." Alan and Tak went through the pistols. Alan found one for himself but Tak still couldn't decide.

"... Well I do like this one. And this one as well." he said.

"I don't think it matters. They're all 50 cal."

Tak looked around the room to see if there was anything else that looked more cool. Instead he spotted a bag. He got the bag and brought it back to the table. He then threw in all the pistols except one and threw in Alan's auto shotgun. He then returned to the racks. Alan didn't even stop him from going over the limit of allowed weapons. Instead, he admired his way of thinking. "Hmmm, good idea" he said to himself. Alan then walked over to Tak to see him getting cases of bullets. The two filled a fair amount of the space in the bag with ammunition. When they finished, they closed the bag and were about to walk out but Alan stopped Tak.

"Wait, one more thing" he said. Alan ran to the far side of the room and looked through the weapons. Tak couldn't see him but heard a loud "Fuck yeah!". Alan walked out with two grenade launchers.

"And why the fuck do you need two?" asked Tak.

"One to attach to my rifle, and this one for... I don't know, I just want one"

Tak carried the heavy bag and held onto a pistol while Alan carried the rifle around his shoulder and the grenade launcher in his hands. Avoiding being detected with it, he held it low so the soldier in the booth couldn't see it even though the soldier was too busy reading his comic. The two then walked very fast back to the helicopter. There weren't many people in the base as most of them went to serve as security at the mines during the mining hours. This was an opportunity that was too good to be true. "Wow, I didn't think we would be able to get this many in one go" said Alan. Yuki was waiting in the cockpit ready to go. She fired up the rotors as she saw the boys jogging towards her. They hopped in the chopper.

"What's with the bag?" she asked.

"Just some equipment that's going to help keep away those nasty viperwolves" replied Alan.

Yuki flew them back to the shacks. Tak and Alan hopped off and Tak told Alan to take the bag and hide it in his Avatar's tent. Before taking off, Yuki told them something.

"Hey guys, if you need a lift just contact me and I'll see if I can come. Staying in the labs gets really boring. Hahahaha. I can fly you guys anywhere you want, well I think I can go anywhere. But anyway yeah, just let me know. Your friends as well, let them know."

"You sure? That seems like a lot to ask for."

"Nah it's ok. But not too often."

"Wow, thanks heaps. Really, you've been a big help today. Really, thanks heaps."

Yuki flew back to Hell's Gate and Tak entered the shacks. He then went to ask for someone to help him get linked to his Avatar. Dr. Eileen went to the links with Tak. She then asked him where he went.

"Oh right, I went to the base for more weapons training. Alan came along since he had nothing to do. Anyway on the way back Alan started asking me all these fucken questions about the plants and animals and shit and now he's really excited so he wants me to show him around and yeah I think you get the picture."

"Hahahahaha. He's funny. Well, just be careful ok?" she said. Tak hopped into his link and Dr. Eileen pressed the touch screen to get him setup. He then woke up inside his tent with the bag on the ground next to him. He grabbed it and looked out of his tent. No one was looking out of the windows. He then walked out of his tent and put the bag on his shoulder. Tak walked off into the forest with Alan.

"So where are we going to hide all this stuff?" asked Alan.

"You'll see" replied Tak.

They walked along the river and diverged from it just like when Tak and Dr. Eileen walk to hometree. Alan had never been to hometree so he didn't know where he was. Before proceeding to the open area at the base of hometree, Tak told Alan to wait where he was with the weapons. He then looked for Tsuwokan while trying to not attract too much attention, walking near plants and in shaded areas. He finally found him and walked over to him.

"Hey, come. This way, come." he said.

Tsuwokan didn't know what Tak was up to but he thought that the sooner he did as Tak told him to, the sooner he would go away. He followed Tak back to where Alan was waiting. Alan's second encounter with Tsuwokan wasn't great but it was better than the first.

"Wow, who the fuck is this?" yelled Alan out of surprise. Tsuwokan was not happy to see Alan as shown from his facial expression.

"Calm down you bitch, geeez." said Tak. "Right, open the bag." Alan opened the bag. Tak then picked up the auto shotgun and showed it to Tsuwokan.

"Nice ha? We're going to kill us some tawtute with these. Here, wanna hold it?... No? That's cool. Anyway, we need to hide these somewhere. Can you help us with that?"

Tsuwokan didn't understand why Tak was trying to become his ally. He didn't trust him and so he kept quiet. Tak then broke the silence. "You still don't trust me?" he said. Tsuwokan looked at him with uncertainty but then finally something inside him forced out some words. "This way..." he said. Tak put the shotgun back into the bag and closed it. He then picked it up and followed Tsuwokan. Alan did as well. They walked to the other side of the small river near hometree and came to a large tree with a thick growth of ferns around it. "Put it here" said Tsuwokan. Tak dropped the bag in between two large sections of the tree base and then ripped off some leaves from the ferns to cover the bag. "Now go away." said Tsuwokan. Tak and Alan walked away and returned to the shacks.

By the time Tak and Alan got back they were starving. Tak got out from his link and headed to get food. Alan was already eating while he explained what Tak had "shown him" on his "tour" of the forest. Tak ate lunch and rested while playing his guitar for a while before going back outside to workout.

By the time Tak finished his hour long workout, Dr. Eileen was getting sick of doing her work. She went outside to Tak and told him to get in his link because she wanted to go visit the clan. Tak didn't feel like doing so but there was nothing else to do so he agreed. He went back inside and got something small to eat before getting into his Avatar. He woke up in his Avatar and saw Dr. Eileen waiting for him outside his tent. The two made their way to hometree. On the way, Dr. Eileen talked to Tak about what she wanted from Tak.

"So how's the first two weeks been?"

"Alright"

"That's good. I've noticed you're talking more than you were when you arrived here. That's really good. And I see you've become friends with one of the youngsters of the clan. That's really nice. But I know you can do better. You're a nice person you know. You just don't show a lot of that towards people."

"... ok..."

"Hehehehe, it's true. But anyway, do you think you could... maybe get to know the people better? You don't have to say much, just ask them what they're doing, or what their name is, or.. you know. Just get to know them a little bit more."

"Yeah... well if you haven't noticed, I'm not good at this socialising shit."

"I know, and I'll help you with it. I'll introduce you to people. You can take it easy, but I really do want you to get to know these people better. There's so much they can teach you and if you get on their good side they'll even show you around this place, around this world perhaps."

"Around the world?"

"Ok maybe not that, but they can take you to other places you know. Let's just try and talk a bit more today, OK?"

"Yeah yeah, whatever..."

The two reached hometree but this time they weren't swarmed by a large group of kids as only a few came running to them. Dr. Eileen signalled Tak to follow as she approached one of the people. The two greeted each other.

"Oel ngati kameie."

"Oel ngati kameie. How are you? Your wounds seem to be healing, that's good."

"Yes, thank you for helping."

"Tak, this is Zetey. I've known her since the year I came to Pandora. Zetey this is Tak. He's the newest member of my group."

Zetey recognized Tak from their encounter the day before. She looked at him with her beautiful Na'vi eyes and tried to force a small smile. Tak did the same but only for a little while before looking towards the ground and minus the smile. Dr. Eileen broke the awkward silence by asking if Zetey could show Tak the people's way of life. Although she didn't want to, she never refused Dr. Eileen's requests as Dr. Eileen had helped her people so much in the past. Zetey walked off and Dr. Eileen signalled Tak to follow her. Not knowing what to say, he decided to ask her name since he had already forgotten it. It took him a while but he managed to spit out the question.

"So... what's your name?" he asked with very little enthusiasm.

"Zetey..." she replied with the same tone.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Tak" he replied.

So far so good. Zetey made an effort to try and get along with this dreamwalker as he was Dr. Eileen's associate.

"Why did you come here?"

"...Because Dr. Eileen told me to."

"No, why did you come to our world?"

"Oh... because my world is a shit hole."

"...Shit hole?"

"Kawng kifkey."

Zetey nodded as she now understood his reasons "Yes, Gillian tell me about your people's world. Many bad things."

As Tak looked up from the ground to his surroundings, he saw Tsuwokan staring at him. He needed to gain Tsuwokan's trust. Not wanting to maintain eye contact, he decided to look away at something else. His attention was drawn to one of the people cutting up meat. He continued to observe the activity until he got an idea.


	12. Chapter 12

Tak suddenly interrupted their conversation. "Sorry, I'll be right back" he said as Zetey wondered what it was that he had to go and do. She continued to watch him walk off until she concluded that he probably didn't want to continue talking to her. She decided to help some of the people with their daily activities. Tak made his way back to his tent. He checked to see if anyone had noticed his return. No one was at the window. He sneaked into his tent and got his mask and his knife. Putting the mask and the knife in the back of his pants, he hid them by pulling his singlet over them and headed off back to the village. Once he returned he searched for Tsuwokan. He found him carrying wood up into hometree and decided to follow him. Confronting him by the fire place he began to ask questions.

"Ey, where do I find the skypeopel?"

"What do you want? Go away!"

"Just tell me where to find the skypeople."

Tsuwokan paused for a while before answering his question.

"...Follow river, the skypeople walk there. They look for us."

"Thanks, I'll fuck off now."

"Why you ask?"

Tak didn't answer his question. He made his way down. As he did, Tsuwokan noticed something bulging out from the back of his singlet. Tak went to the river and followed it. From where he stops following the river to go to hometree, he walked for roughly twenty minutes along the river without finding a single human. He decided to follow one of the shallow streams which connected to the river and made his way into unknown territory. It was warm and humid. He stopped to kneel down and reach for the wet dirt on the ground. He then applied it to the area around his eyes, put on his mask and pulled out his knife. Not knowing where he was, he decided to follow the stream. The stream connected to another stream, which connected to another stream and so on. This was a wetland which was incredibly rich in primary production. A perfect place for animals to graze. However he still didn't know why humans would come here. Trying to avoid detection, he hung around large plants as they provided cover. Tired from walking, he decided to take a rest. Sitting down on tree trunk which grew horizontally on a small hill, he observed his surroundings. To his left were a group of Hexapedes nibbling on the leaves of a plant. He observed their activity until they fled to the sound of gunshots.

"YEAH! I got one!" yelled a human voice. Judging where the voice came from, he hid behind a tree to avoid being detected. He continued to listen. "It's just an animal, big deal. I came here to kill me some blue monkeys, now where the fuck are they?" yelled another soldier. Tak slowly crawled up the hill to some grass and larger plants. He peeped through the small gaps to see a group of four soldiers hanging around in the open. He continued to watch.

"God damn it I thought we were going to find those bastards! I didn't come here to shoot these dumbass animals!"

"Relax they'll be here. This is where they come to hunt."

"Yeah well they better turn up soon cos I'm getting bored."

"We'll keep searching. They'll show up."

One of the soldiers got excited and fired his gun in the air. "WOOOO! Yeah you hear that? We're coming to get you fuckers! YEAH!"

"Stop it! That'll just scare them you retard! Geez!"

"Ok, well let's split up and find something to shoot. Killing something is better than killing nothing. But don't go too far, just stay within this area."

They group split up and went their own ways. One of them was walking towards Tak but not directly towards him. Tak slowly made his way down the hill and back to ground level. He guessed that the soldier had walked towards his left so he slowly moved towards his left. Hearing the footsteps, he hid behind the tree trunk. The footsteps were getting closer and then they stopped. Tak kept very still and quiet. He then heard the sound of a zipper, and then water falling onto the ground. Very slowly he looked from where he was hiding to see the soldier taking a leak. With his knife in his hand, he crept up to the soldier and in a smooth action, dug his fingers beneath the exopack and wrapped them around the soldiers' mouth tightly, pulling the soldier towards him. He had nowhere to go. He then quickly stabbed the soldier in the neck. It entered one side. Tak slowly pushed it further and forced it out the other side. Holding this position, he waited until the soldier was dead. The soldier struggled to try and break free while doing his best to pull the knife away from his neck but it was pointless. The strength of an Avatar was too much for that of a human. Tak's hands were covered in blood. Not wanting to make a mess, he kept the knife buried in the neck and thought of a way back. He dropped the body and made his way back up the hill. He looked through the plants to see if the soldiers were still there. They had gone off on their own. Now was the time for Tak to make his escape. He picked up the dead body and put it on his shoulder and jogged back the way he came.

Once he reached the river, he continued for a few more minutes before deciding to stop for a rest. He dropped the body on the ground and kneeled towards it. With the knife still in the neck, he took it out and stabbed it into the neck again but not all the way through. Wriggling the knife around to create some space, he started to move the knife in and out. Cutting the head off wasn't as easy as he thought as he had to work through the spine. He managed to cut through the flash and skin but the spine kept the head attached to the rest. Blood was pouring out and was soaking the soil in red. Tak found a large stick on the ground nearby so he jammed it into the mouth until it poked out the other end. He stuck this end into the ground and used the stick as a lever, trying to bend the neck until it snapped. Keeping the body from moving around with his foot, he violently pulled back on the stick but it didn't work. That's when he realized that he forgot an important step. "Ohhhhh" he said to himself. He dropped the stick and placed both hands on the head of the dead body. He twisted the head and broke the neck. Picking up the stick, he tried again. Using all his strength, he pulled back. SNAP! Finally, the head was now detached from the body. Wasting no time, he took off all the clothes and put it into a pile. He then washed his hands and knife thoroughly in the river until the colour and smell of blood was gone. Tak then tied the soldier's shoes together and wrapped up all the clothes along with the shoes into a big bundle except for the shirt. He then took the head and wrapped it with the shirt. After resting for a few minutes, he then held the wrapped "gift" in one hand and the bundle of clothes under his armpit while he dragged the headless body with his other hand. He made his way along the river. Before reaching the turning point to go to home tree, he got tired of dragging the body so he grabbed it with both hands by the feet, swung it and tossed it into a thick patch plants hoping that either animals would eat it or the decomposers would take care of it. He then picked up the remaining things and made his way to the stash of weapons.

When he got there, he lifted the ferns that his the bag and dropped the stuff and covered them back up. Satisfied with the job he did, he took a deep breath and exhaled while wiping the sweat from his forehead. Taking off his mask, he decided to put it in the bag along with the weapons and did the same with his knife. He then returned to the village and tried to blend in with the crowd. But Dr. Eileen noticed he was gone for quite some time and approached him.

"Hey, where did you go?" she asked.

"Just for a walk." he replied in a calm manner.

"What happened to your conversation with Zetey?"

"Got boring."

"Oh, well at least you managed to speak to her. Maybe you could go back?"

"Maybe."

"Ok, well I have to go. The kids can't wait!"

Dr. Eileen ran back to the group of kids she was playing games with. Tak searched for Tsuwokan anxiously. He found Tsuwokan sitting down in a field of grass away from everyone else. It was quiet. Walking over to Tsuwokan, he saw that Tsuwokan had his eyes closed. Tsuwokan breathed deeply and slowly exhaled before opening his eyes to see Tak. Not happy to see Tak, he put on an unhappy face.

"Get up." said Tak. Tsuwokan was getting used to Tak's presence but still didn't enjoy it. Tak signalled him to follow. They walked out of the village and Tak took Tsuwokan to the stash. He removed the ferns. He picked up the blood soaked shirt and handed it to Tsuwokan who looked at it with a suspicious face.

"... what is this?" asked Tsuwokan to which Tak didn't reply. He would have to unwrap it to find out. Tsuwokan unwrapped the shirt slowly. Once he untied the knot, he unwrapped the shirt to see a bloody severed human head. A bit surprised and shocked, he retracted while holding the head in his hands. Tak saw this and slightly laughed. Tsuwokan turned to Tak, wondering what kind of psychotic son of a bitch he was.

"So, you trust me now?" asked Tak. Tsuwokan was speechless. Why did this skyperson want to help his people so much? Sure, there were people like Dr. Eileen who had established good relationships with the Na'vi and had helped to conserve their planet. But Tak took things to a whole new level.

"Ok, well you can keep that as a souvenir. I'm going to go back. Don't tell anyone about this." said Tak as he made his way back to the village. Tsuwokan was still shocked. Not even he would've thought of cutting of the head of a skyperson despite his hatred for them. But Tsuwokan was certain of one thing, Tak was for real. Maybe he could use Tak's help to fight the RDA. It took a while for Tsuwokan to comprehend Tak's actions, but once he did, he tossed the head into the distance, dropped the shirt and returned to the village.

Upon entering the village, Tak saw Dr. Eileen who had spotted him walking in. She looked at him then to Zetey, signalling him to go to her and socialise. Tak didn't like how he was being forced to do so, and this resulted in a forced response. He stuck his middle finger at Dr. Eileen to which she replied with a look that said "haha, very funny". Again, she told him with her body language to go over and talk to her. Tak closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't want to, but something inside him forced him to. He slowly walked over to Zetey. He approached her from behind and began to talk.

"Soooo... doc told me to come here... and talk to you... about... stuff. Anyway, sorry I walked off. I had to go and do something" said Tak with no enthusiasm at all. Zetey let out a small laugh as she found Tak's inability to finish a sentence without pausing to be amusing. For the rest of the time while Tak was there, the two stayed together. Their conversation consisted of many pauses and awkward silences but it was the best conversation Tak had with any Na'vi.

When Tak and Dr. Eileen got back to the shacks Tak, after awaking in their links Tak went straight to his desk and turned on his laptop. He opened one of his games and began to play. Dr. Eileen then sat down next to him and asked questions.

"So how was it?" she asked but Tak didn't reply as he was too concentrated on his game. She lightly poked him and re-asked the question to which he looked at her and back to his game.

"It was ok."

"Good, what did you guys talk about?"

"... I don't know, stuff"

"Well at least you made some progress today. I'm happy for you. I really am. Keep it up!"

Dr. Eileen walked to her desk and sat down. Tak continued to play his game. He was then interrupted by Alan who had entered the room. Alan was holding his guitar and was strumming randomly, showing that he obviously didn't know how to play it. Tak heard this and paused his game to turn around.

"Who the fuck said you could touch it you cunt?" said Tak aggressively.

"Don't worry, I haven't damaged it or anything. Geeez."

Alan continued to strum randomly while walking around the room thinking he was a rockstar.

"You are so fucken shit. Please do us all a big fucken favour and stop playing." said Tak to which everyone else giggled at. Alan did so and put the guitar in Tak's hands.

"Then why don't you play?" said Alan.

"Go get my fucken amp and cord."

"YEAH!" said Alan as he was excited to find out how good Tak was. He brought over the amp and chord and Tak set it up. Alan sat down next to him. Tak tuned his guitar so it was perfect and turned on the distortion. He then began to play. Alan instantly recognized the intro.

"EY! I know this song!" he yelled. He grabbed a pen in each hand and played along on his imaginary drum kit, beating the desk and any object that was on it while stomping his feet to provide bass. Dr. Eileen watched as Tak and Alan jammed together. It brought a smile to her face.

Back at hometree the Takahayo clan was gathering around the fire for dinner. Tsuwokan sat amongst the many people in silence. He was still thinking about Tak's actions. The images of the severed head were still running through his mind. But now he had someone he could trust. He looked from the ground up to the fire. He had met Tak's insane side. Meanwhile on the other side of the fire, Zetey was also sitting down in silence. She was also thinking about Tak. She didn't want to admit it but she found the dreamwalker slightly attractive. He was pretty good looking, but his shy personality is what made her feel at ease. Strange but true. She had met Tak's shy side.


	13. Chapter 13

Tak woke up early the next morning as he was able to get to sleep quicker than usual the night before. After his morning shower, getting dressed and eating breakfast, he brushed his teeth while walking to his desk and sat down. He then overheard the others discussing another reported casualty. Dr. Brent noticed him and began talking to him about it.

"Hey, we just got told this morning that someone's been missing since yesterday afternoon. A group of soldiers were out in the forest and one of them didn't come back."

Tak nodded his head showing little interest in the news. However he already knew this. Trying to act as if he knew nothing about it, he responded with a question.

"What were they doing?"

"Well we don't know yet but they were probably just looking for trouble. Soldiers have nothing to do around here so they just go and shoot the animals. This isn't the first time this has happened, but they never learn."

"Hmph, they deserve it then."

"Yeah I agree. Honestly, I don't feel sorry for them. But hopefully they don't start a war with the Na'vi in this area. Last thing I want is to be caught up in the middle of a fight. I mean, the war's been going for a while now, but it's got less intense. Let's just hope it stays that way."

Tak continued to brush his teeth while he turned on his computer and waited for it to load. He then went to the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste and rinse his mouth. He then washed his face and dried it with his shirt. He looked and stared at himself in the mirror. "There's no turning back" he said to himself in his mind. He then returned to his desk. As he entered the room, Dr. Eileen asked him to come and have a look at the different plants she had been growing as experiments.

"I never did show you the plants I've been growing did I? Well, here they are. I really do think we getting close to being able to use these back on earth. They evolve quite fast for plants. I've been studying the Pandoran fauna for years now and they've shown physiological changes within periods of months. It's amazing."

"Cool... So what are the consequences back on earth if these were planted?"

"Well, maybe you could answer that." said Dr. Eileen with a smile. Tak thought for a while before giving an answer.

"Well they would certainly detoxify the soil. They would also probably outcompete other plant species considering their size and the amount of nutrients they take up. That could lead to other negative things, but who knows."

"Interesting, well how would you like to help me with these plants? I need help taking care of them and running all sorts of tests and recording data. Probably more fun than writing reports and inputting data all day."

"... Ok."

Tak returned to his desk and carried on with his usual work. Just before noon, Dr. Eileen asked him to help her with the plants. It was good to get away from the boring usual work and get into something hands on. It was also an opportunity for Tak to learn all he could from someone with more experience with the plants. By talking to Dr. Eileen he was also telling a little bit about himself to her without noticing it. He was opening up more. However eventually he noticed that he was being asked a lot of questions but he hadn't asked any. He decided to do so.

"Why do I always answer your questions? Why don't you ever tell me anything about yourself?" asked Tak.

"That's because you never ask." replied Dr. Eileen with a smile.

"Ok then, why did you decide to leave home and come here?"

"Oh, that was an easy decision. I just received my PhD and I was eager to find a job and get working as soon as possible. I searched for a while but nothing interested me. During college I kept up to date with the Avatar program and considered it as an option. After a while I decided to join since there were no jobs that I was really interested in and yeah, that was it."

"What did your parents say?"

"Well my father passed away while I was at college and I wasn't very close to my mother so she wasn't too upset to see me leave."

Tak nodded as he could slightly relate to how his own parents didn't care too much about him leaving.

"Do you miss home?" he asked.

"At first I did, not seeing your friends or family does take time getting used to. But after a while I got over it and now this world is my home. I just feel like this place was meant for me you know? Anyway, what about you?"

"No, and I don't think I ever will."

The two of them continued with their science while discussing Pandoran biology.

After lunch, Tak went outside and for a short workout on the outdoor gym. He then walked around the area to find something he could punch and kick. It had been over 5 years since he last practiced his Judo and Karate but it only felt like a few weeks ago. He found a pineapple plant behind the generator and began to punch and kick it. It felt good to let out all that energy. Alan noticed Tak was gone and went outside to look for him. He circled the shacks then went behind the generator and spotted Tak beating the shit out of a plant. He walked up to Tak.

"Hey, what you doing?"

"Not much."

"You box ha?"

"No, Karate and Judo"

"Oh pffffff. Judo. You don't even throw any punches or kicks in that sport. Karate's cool. But Judo? Nahhh. That shit don't impress me."

Alan's cockiness made Tak slightly laugh. He stepped aside as Alan walked up to the plant and began to punch and kick it as well. But his style was different.

"Muay Thai ha?"

"Yep. None of that fancy crap. Just straight up punching and kicking." said Alan jokingly.

"Really? Well, how about you try some of that boxing bullshit against my fancy crap and we'll see who will be impressed."

"Ohhh, ok. I see. Bring it bitch"

The two faced each other with their hands up and they circled each other.

"So how do we strike since we're wearing these exopacks?" asked Alan.

"Who said you just had to go for the head?" replied Tak. Alan replied with a strike to Tak's gut but he dodged it. Another strike, this time to Tak's ribs but he dodged it again. Alan threw a few more punches and a few kicks but Tak remained calm and dodged them except for one kick to which he replied with a small laugh.

"Come on now! I'm getting bored here!" said Alan. He then went for a swing to the side of Tak's head but it was grabbed and countered with a Harai Goshi. Tak didn't bother supporting his opponent's weight and let Alan fall to the ground with all the force. Landing flat on his back, Alan was winded and coughed as he looked up at Tak.

"Ooo I'm sorry, did that hurt?" said Tak jokingly. He flicked Alan's exopack as a joke, letting in some of the Pandoran air. Alan panicked and quickly filtered it out via the built in mechanism. He then got up.

"Yeeaah not bad. Next time I won't go so easy." said Alan.

"Mhmm. I'm sure. Come on, let's go" replied Tak. The two jogged along the river, going the opposite direction from the usual and headed towards the FEBA base. When they got there, they took note of the military vehicles. There were three Scorpion gunships and five ATV Grinders on the ground while four attack boats were parked along the river. The two walked to the gate and were let in. They walked to the closest person on the ground and Alan began talking to one of the soldiers.

"You guys got a lot of stuff here. Helicopters and ATV and boats, you really need all this stuff?"

"Of course. There's no such thing as too much firepower."

Tak had a good look around the base. He was now going up against a small army and he only had one, possibly two people to help him. They took a rest inside the base while they watched mechanics service the machines. Sitting down on the ground next to each other, they began to discuss a plan.

"Fuck, how are we going to go up against all this? We're going to get our asses kicked."

"Don't know."

"Rhetorical question, but anyway..."

"It's only rhetorical if it doesn't require an answer."

"And did that one sound like it did?"

"Yes."

"Riiiight, well don't know doesn't sound like a very good answer to me."

"Relax, I'll think of something. After all, I am the smart one."

"Very funny."

The two stood up and walked out of the gate. Tak then began jogging back and Alan followed. When they got back inside the shacks they had to explain why they were gone for such a long time.

"Where did you guys go?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"Went to the FEBA base."

"You went to the base? As humans?"

"...Yes, as humans. Because we are humans after all."

"You know how dangerous that is? Oh god, lucky you came back in one piece. I don't know the route you took but the FEBA is crawling with all sorts of predators. Someone went missing yesterday, so unless you want the same thing to happen to you please be careful next time. Why didn't you go in your avatar Tak?"

"Exercising my avatar doesn't exercise me."

"Ok, fair enough. But guys, please don't do that again. Ever. Please."

Alan looked at Tak and then back at Dr. Eileen. With a smart ass attitude he responded to her warning.

"...Naaaaaah. Don't think so." said Alan. Dr. Eileen rolled her eyes and shook her head at his immaturity while Dr. Isaac giggled and smiled at him. Alan turned to Dr. Isaac and replied.

"Well it is very relaxing." he said. Dr. Isaac giggled more and turned away.

Today Tak was eager to go to the village as he had some things to discuss with his new associate. He didn't want anyone to get suspicious of him so he tried to keep Dr. Eileen at the shacks.

"You know you don't have to come with me all the time. If you're worried about me being left alone with the Na'vi, well I can take care of myself" he said politely.

"I know. But I like visiting them. It's become a habit. So, you ready?" she replied.

"Yeah" said Tak.

They made their way to the village. Walking along the river, they discussed Pandoran fish and their role in the ecosystem. Dr. Eileen was beginning to take note of how Tak was more talkative in discussions about biological things. When they reached the village, Tak sat down on the moss covered log that he always sat on and watched Dr. Eileen walk off with a group of kids who were yelling at her to teach them new things. Shortly after, Tsuwokan joined him and sat down beside him. There was a moment of silence before Tsuwokan began to talk.

"Why you help us?" he asked.

"Why?... why not?"

There was another long pause before Tak decided to explain himself.

"You people don't realize how much of a great life you have. Where I'm from, we work for most of our lives just to get by. We have to put up with crime, pollution, overpopulation and so much other shit that sometimes I ask myself why we continue to exist."

Tak continued with his rant about the world he came from. Tsuwokan continued to listen but he didn't understand everything. However he got the overall idea, Earth was far from perfect. Once Tak stopped talking, Tsuwokan then began to explain how his world had become similar on a smaller scale.

"Before skypeople come, this place look different. More animals and plants. But skypeople come and destroy everything. They show no respect to Eywa. They attack other clans first, then come here and attack us. Many people die, so we fight back. This continue for a long time now."

"A vendetta..."

"...What is that?"

"A fight between two families. One family kills someone from the other and the other returns the favour. A vendetta."

"...Yes, vendetta."

Tsuwokan then turned to Tak and in a serious tone, began to talk. "If you want to help us, you must help destroy the skypeople place. Follow river and you will find."

"The FEBA base. Easier said than done, but it's possible."

"We must destroy skypeople place. Tomorrow morning, when sun rise, I wait for you outside village."

Tak nodded then stood up to walk away. Tsuwokan called him.

"Ftang. What is your name dreamwalker?" asked Tsuwokan.

"Tak."

"Tak, irayo."

Tak walked off and Tsuwokan watched while remaining seated on the log. He was beginning to trust him more. As Tak continued to walk off, his little friend ran to him with an Ikran made from sticks and plant fibres. He showed his creation to Tak who took it and examined it, looking impressed. The boy took Tak to a quiet place under the shade of some trees and they began to put sticks in the ground as if they were making a little village. The sight of a large figure sitting next to an extremely small one caught the eye of Zetey. She decided to get a closer look at the two as she was curious about what they were doing. She was surprised to see Tak and the little boy having fun with their stick village as Tak didn't seem like the type that would interact with the Na'vi. Despite Tak's size, all Zetey could see was two kids playing together, except one of them was extremely big. It was cute and it put a small smile on her face. Leaving them undisturbed, she walked away.

Tak's time with his friend went by fast. It was time for him to go. The sun was beginning to set and the sky filled with orange. Tak and Dr. Eileen returned to the shacks. On the way back Dr. Eileen asked him what he did and he explained but didn't tell her about his chat with Tsuwokan. Dr. Eileen then told how she taught the kids more English and played some simple games with them like scissors, paper, rock. That night the gang decided to have a proper dinner. Using some of the good food they had, they cooked a decent meal using what they had in the shacks. It was a lot better than the packaged crap that was in the fridge. After dinner, they talked while having beers while Tak played his guitar which was still sitting next to his desk from the other day. He turned down the volume and played some soothing blues. Deep into the discussion, Alan decided to change the topic with a question.

"So, you guys are stuck here on this planet. Don't you get lonely? Or doesn't it suck that you can't date anyone? You know, like, it's not like back on Earth where you can just meet people at bars or clubs." he asked.

"No, it's even better because the people you can ask out are the people you work with." said Dr. Brent with a smile.

"You did?" asked Alan with a surprise.

"Sure, I've been with her for nearly a year now. She's back at hell's gate though." Alan put on a surprised look and then looked to Dr. Dale.

"Me too. Been going out with my girl for over a year and a half now." He said. Alan then turned to Dr. Eileen and asked her.

"No one special now, but I've got lucky with a few guys over the years." she said with a bit of embarrassment. Alan finally asked Dr. Isaac who had been quiet since the topic was brought up. She replied with her head down, shamefully shaking her head with her eyes closed to say no. the others laughed and joked of her bad luck. Once they were done, she tried to make up an excuse of why that was the case.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just... unlucky."

"Well... that sucks..." said Alan, but what he was thinking was the complete opposite. Inside, he was jumping with joy as he now had a chance with this hot scientist. In the background, Tak could be heard playing his guitar. He wasn't paying attention to anything being discussed. The others then began to discuss quietly about Tak.

"So what do you think about him? You think he would have a chance with any of the girls back at Hell's Gate?" asked Dr. Dale.

"Mmmmm, probably not. He doesn't talk to anyone. And he's kind of scary." replied Dr. Brent.

Dr. Eileen tried to defend Tak. "What? He's not scary, he's just quiet. He's actually a nice person, you just haven't got to know him yet." she said.

"Yeah but things are always so tense when he's around, you just feel like he's going to randomly knock someone out." said Dr. Dale

Alan was too busy to join the discussion as he was shifting his eyes continuously from the table to Dr. Isaac who had her head down, looking at the floor. She would occasionally look up and Alan would quickly look away but he would get caught every time. Dr. Isaac looked back at the ground but would smile every time.

The next morning Tak woke up early and had a quick shower, ate breakfast and brushed his teeth then went to his link and set it up himself. He pulled the screen towards him from the link, pressed a few buttons and pushed it away then closed the link. The sound of the link entering the rotating mechanism wasn't loud enough to wake up the others. He woke up in his Avatar and made his way to meet with Tsuwokan. When he got there he saw not only Tsuwokan but Aketuan and Bakteyo as well. They were all wearing war paint but it was dark rather than bright in order to make them blend in better with the environment.

"What are we doing?" asked Tak.

"We go and kill tawtute. You will prove yourself." said Tsuwokan.

"Sounds fun, but let me get something first." said Tak. He went to the bag of weapons that was hidden near the village and took out his mask and knife. He then rubbed dirt around his eyes, onto his arms and then put on his mask. He then returned to the others.

"Ok, let's go."


	14. Chapter 14

People began to worry as they discussed the situation with each other. Soon all the people within the area were showing signs of panic. The Olo'eyktan tried to calm everyone down but it didn't seem to work. Tsuwokan then walked to the Olo'eyktan and yelled out loud.

"SILENCE! Olo'eyktan wishes to speak." He said. He then bowed his head to the Olo'eyktan as a sign for continuing to speak.

"Thank you Tsuwokan. Now everybody, calm down. As far as we know they have been captured, not killed. However we do not have a lot of time. We will have to go and rescue them, it is a dangerous task but it is a risk we must take." Tsuwokan then stepped forward and called for people to join him.

"Anyone who wishes to join me, step forward." he said.

Dr. Eileen felt uncomfortable with this idea and began to talk quietly with the Olo'eyktan.

"Olo'eyktan, please do not let this happen. More of your people will die. I am a dreamwalker, I can reason with them. Please, let me do this. Enough of your people have died already."

The Olo'eyktan looked at her. His facial expression showed that he was thinking about what she had just said. He then closed his eyes and sighed. "Olo'eyktan please, let me do this" said Dr. Eileen. After a moment of further thinking, the Olo'eyktan walked over to Tsuwokan and placed his hand on his shoulder. With a calm voice, he told him to not go ahead with the plan. Tsuwokan turned around and looked angry. He then looked at Dr. Eileen. He knew what had been said.

"YOU! You do not make decisions! Go away!" said Tsuwokan. He was slightly being held back by the Olo'eyktan. Dr. Eileen didn't reply. She didn't have to. After what happened two years ago she couldn't let anymore of the Takahayo people die. It would only bring back the grief. The Olo'eyktan gently pushed Tsuwokan back and looked him in the eye. "I understand how you feel" he said in a soft voice. He then continued in a louder voice. "You will go and rescue the people, but Dr. Eileen will lead the way." He then turned to Dr. Eileen. "Please be careful, Gillian" he said. Dr. Eileen nodded and began to make her way out of the area. Tsuwokan and a few warriors, including Bakteyo and Aketuan, followed her lead. As she was jogging, Dr. Eileen tried to look for Tak but he was nowhere to be seen.

Tak had already made it more than half way back to the shacks. Once he got there, he went to his tent and got his back pack. He emptied the bag and filled it with medical supplies. He also put the mask in. After finding his hunting knife, he then ran back to the river and followed it as if he was going back to hometree. Instead of diverging from the river, he continued to follow it a bit further and then made his way into the thick growth. Judging by the direction that the hunter had come from, he headed in that direction in search for the captured Na'vi group. As he ran through the forest he started to question himself about his actions in his mind.

"You stupid motherfucker, do you know what you're getting yourself into? Nope, but I guess I'm about to find out. Dumb fuck! You're already on a warning from the colonel! What are you going to do if he finds out about what you're about to do? Good question, what am I about to do?"

After running for quite some time, he noticed that there were a few medium sized animals. He had seen a few Hexapedes and Tapiruses. The Na'vi did hunt these for food. Was he near? He sure was. Walking a few more steps to come up to a thick wall of plants, he peeped through the gaps to see four Na'vi hunters lying on the ground. They looked like they were in pain as they tried to get up on to their feet. He also heard some talking and laughter. Four RDA soldiers were circling them as they tortured the Na'vi. One of the Na'vi looked up at one of the soldiers and gave him a death stare. He was then hit in the head by the stock of the gun. The soldiers laughed.

"HAHAHAHAHA, stupid motherfucken blue monkeys! God damn I love this job!" said one of the soldiers. He kneeled down beside the Na'vi. "I think I'm going to kill you now." he said. Tak had to do something quick. He opened his bag and took out his mask. He looked at it. The mask looked back at him. He felt like it was trying to tell him something. Was he given this mask for a reason? Who knows, but he knew what had to be done. He took off his shirt and kept his black singlet on. He then picked up some dirt from the ground and rubbed it around his eyes and on his arms to darken the area. He put on the mask and got out his knife. Not knowing how this was going to end, he shook one of the plants. The soldiers heard it.

"What the fuck was that?" said the soldier kneeling down. He ordered another to go and check it out. Tak was waiting to the side with his knife. The soldier's gun poked through the plants, and so did the soldier. He quickly turned to the left and the right. Too late. Tak grabbed his gun, pulled him forward and jammed the knife deep into the soldier's throat. The soldier didn't even have time to yell. Tak finished him off by pulling out the knife and repeatedly stabbed him in the throat. More blood poured out with every stab. He picked up the gun and held it like it was a toy. The other soldiers were getting very suspicious as they hadn't heard a reply. They all decided to hold their positions. Tak took aim at one soldier. He then pulled the trigger. A clean headshot. He quickly ran to another section of the wall as the soldiers opened fire.

"FUCK! Where the fuck did that come from?" yelled a soldier. The remaining two were now circling with their guns, trying to look for the killer. Tak took aim again at another soldier. Slowly exhaling, he pulled the trigger. Another clean headshot. He then ran to a tree and hid behind the trunk. The last soldier opened fire on the whole wall of plants. His frustration and fear was building up.

"FUCKEN SHOW YOURSELF!" he yelled. The birds in the canopy flew away from his yell. As they did, they caused to the branches above to make noise. The soldier was easily distracted by this and aimed his gun in the air. Tak took this short moment to aim and fire at the soldier. He hit the soldier, but it wasn't a headshot. The bullet entered the soldier's neck and exited through the other side. The soldier dropped his gun to seal both wounds with his hands. He collapsed to the ground and gasped as he was slowly dying. Tak walked over to the soldier and switched his gun to automatic. He stood over the extremely scared soldier and pointed the gun in his face. He emptied the clip as blood and glass from the exopack flew everywhere. The soldier was unrecognizable as all that remained was a shredded pile of skin, flesh and bone drenched in blood. The hunters were scared even though this stranger had saved them. Tak walked around to every Na'vi and inspected their injuries. They had all been shot but it was nothing serious. He bandaged their wounds and helped them sit up. The last Na'vi he bandaged was saying something to him in Na'vi.

"She went that way. Please…..help her" he said, pointing in a direction. Tak put the roll of bandage in his pocket, picked up the clips of ammo from the ground and ran in the pointed direction. He ran until he saw a large, arched tree trunk that formed a natural bridge. He also saw three dead bodies. Human bodies. Two of them had arrows sticking out of them while the other was covered in blood. It was an open area so he had to be careful. He crept up to the trunk and looked to the side to see a female Na'vi lying on the ground. She was crawling to try and get something. An RDA soldier followed her slowly. He kicked her and she painfully screamed. She rolled over onto her back as she stared at the soldier. Tak walked up the arched tree trunk. The soldier pointed the barrel of his gun to the Na'vi female's face. She continued to stare back at him until something else caught her attention. A large figure was standing on the tree trunk and was looking down. Just as the soldier was about to execute her, Tak jumped down and stood behind him. The soldier heard him land and turned around quickly. Tak grabbed his gun and kicked him hard, sending him flying a few meters. He then walked over to the soldier and stepped on his face, breaking the exopack and his skull. Tak left his foot there for a while before making his way back to the injured Na'vi female. She was badly wounded with multiple gun shots to the leg, waist and back. Tak kneeled down beside her and took out the roll of bandage. As he did, the Na'vi grabbed her knife and tried to stab him but Tak grabbed her by the wrist and stopped her. She continued to try but gave up as her strength was running out. She lay there, staring into Tak's eyes. Partly blinded by the little sunlight which got through the canopy, all she could see was a pair of eyes behind a mask. His gold eyes were heavily shadowed but stood out from the dirt on his face. Tak bandaged her and picked her up. He carried her in his arms while making his way back to the other Na'vi. On the way the female Na'vi had passed out due to all her energy been used in fighting the RDA soldiers and the amount of blood she had lost.

Tak finally reached the area where the others had been waiting. However Dr. Eileen and the others had got there before he had. Not wanting to be caught, he left the Na'vi in an open area for her to be found by the others. He then ran away back to the shacks. On the way he stopped by the river to wash the dirt off his face and arms and the blood off his hands. He put his shirt back on and continued back to the shacks. Dr. Eileen noticed the Na'vi had already been bandaged. She asked one of the hunters who helped them. "I do not know. I did not see his face, but he saved us all." replied the hunter. She then walked around to the others and made sure they were not in need of serious medical attention. She then inspected the dead human bodies. Two of them head a gunshot wound to the head. She walked over to the third body. She was extremely disturbed by what she saw. The heavily disfigured face, or rather what was left of it, made her a bit sick to her stomach. She closed her eyes and walked away.

When Tak got back to the shacks, he went inside his tent and emptied his bag. He returned the medical supplied to where he found them and put the mask inside the box under his bed. He then packed his bag with the scientific equipment in an attempt to hide all evidence of what he had just done. Lying on his bed with his eyes closed, waiting to awake in his human body, Tak thought about what he was going to say to Dr. Eileen if he was questioned. He woke up inside the link. He pushed open the lid to see Dr. Brent standing by the link.

"How was it?" he asked.

"Something happened" replied Tak.

"What do you mean, what happened?" asked Dr. Brent.

Tak shrugged his shoulders and walked to his bunk bed.

Back at hometree, Dr. Eileen and the others were carrying the injured hunters up the spiral core to the first level so they could be treated. She helped to treat the wounded. While doing so she asked more questions about what had happened. All of them told her the same thing, an anonymous Na'vi, obviously a dreamwalker because of the clothing, had killed the soldiers, bandaged their wounds and set off to search for the last member of the hunting group. After treating the injured, Dr. Eileen returned to the shacks. When she woke up from her link she was asked by the others about what had happened. "I'll explain later, where's Tak?" she asked. After being told he was lying on his bed, she walked over to him to ask a few questions.

"Hey, where did you go to?" she said.

"… here….." replied Tak in a calm manner.

"Oh ok…. I just don't understand why you left."

"I heard what happened, so I thought I would run back here to get some medical supplies, but when I got back to hometree you had left, so I decided to return here"

Tak's extremely calm manner was very convincing. Dr. Eileen didn't suspect he had anything to do with the rescuing of the hunters, or the murder of the soldiers.

"That was thoughtful of you. But we really had to go, well anyway, luckily we found them. They were ok. Some stranger helped them and bandaged their wounds." she said. Tak didn't reply and continued to read notes he had made on his research.

Later that night during dinner Dr. Eileen explained what had happened to everyone. After dinner Tak decided to return to his bed and play his guitar while the others continued to discuss what Dr. Eileen had told them. Dr. Eileen decided to return to hometree to see how the injured were doing. She entered hometree and was greeted by a few people.

"How are they doing?" she asked. "They are resting." replied a Na'vi. Dr. Eileen made her way to where the injured were resting. They were asleep from the plants and herbs they had taken, a side effect of the medicine that accelerates healing. However one of the hunters was still not asleep. Dr. Eileen walked over to see it was the badly wounded female that Tak had saved. She hadn't talked to her yet as she was unconscious when she was found. Dr. Eileen sat down next to her.

"Hey, are you ok?" she asked. The female Na'vi nodded slowly with a small smile.

"What happened?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"We were attacked. I escaped but they chased me. I killed three of them but I was hurt. I was going to die. But then he came and saved me." Replied the female Na'vi in a soft voice.

"Who?" asked Dr. Eileen.

Not knowing who it was but feeling very thankful, the female Na'vi gave Dr. Eileen another small smile before closing her eyes to get some rest.


	15. Chapter 15

When Tak woke up the next day, he stayed in his bed thinking about the crazy shit he had got himself into. Looking at the top of the bunk bed, he began to question himself just like when he was running to help the Na'vi. "What the fuck have you done Tak?" he said to himself in his mind. But this time he didn't know how to answer his own question. Not only did he betray his own race, but he had killed five people. But this probably wasn't the first time he had killed someone. All those fights he got into back on earth always ended in a bloody mess. And by the way he would finish off his opponents, some of them probably died. Tak never started a fight, but he would always end one. But in the western suburbs of Sydney where crime rates were extremely high, a dead body was nothing special. Police did a poor job at solving homicides as they saw it as a big help in reducing overpopulation. And besides, it's the western suburbs, so who gives a fuck.

While lying in his bed, Dr. Eileen walked past him and saw that his eyes were open. She walked back to him and sat on his bed next to him. "Hey, you're finally awake." she said. Still thinking about what happened the day before, she decided to question Tak more as his answers seemed very brief.

"So, about yesterday... where did you go to after we left you behind?" Tak answered her question, again with short answers.

"Here" he said.

"Well I was talking to Dr. Dale before and he said you got back not too long before me. Did you go somewhere?"

"Yeah, I went for a walk."

Dr. Eileen was now a bit suspicious. If he had gone for a walk then why didn't he tell her so the day before? And if he got back not too long before she had then could he have been the one who murdered the soldiers? Not wanting to lose his trust, Dr. Eileen decided to stop asking questions.

"Oh ok, how was it?" she asked, trying to change the topic.

"It was nice, I like this place a lot" replied Tak. Dr. Eileen smiled after hearing the first positive comment from him. "Well, time to get up!" she said, and walked back to her desk. Tak stared at the top of the bunk bed for another minute before getting out of bed.

It was just before noon while everyone was working at their desks. The scientists were continuing with their research while Alan read through some of the outdated science magazines. The sound of rotors could be heard coming from outside. Everyone but Tak went to look out the window. A soldier hopped out of the Samson and walked towards the shacks. He then entered the first door and knocked. After being let in he called for everyone to gather.

"Alright people listen up, Colonel Hilton has called for an urgent meeting with everyone so I need you to make your way to the chopper. You will be transported to the FEBA base where the meeting will be broadcasted. Do not waste my time! Let's go!"

Without questioning the soldier, everyone got an exopack and made their way outside to the Samson. They got on and took off, heading for the FEBA base. The team kept quiet on the trip as they knew what this was about but risked getting into trouble as they did not report it. Dr. Eileen tried to act like she knew absolutely nothing and asked the soldier what this was all about.

"So why is the colonel calling a meeting?" she asked.

"10 dead bodies were found this morning in the FEBA. Not too far from where you're posted at. We thought it was just another fight between us and the monkeys until we recovered bullets in three of them. The colonel suspects there's a traitor working for the blue skins." he replied.

The team arrived at the FEBA base. They entered the main building and made their way to the hall. It was full of soldiers, mechanics and the base staff. After finding a place to sit, the meeting began to broadcast from Hell's Gate. Colonel Hilton appeared on the large screen and he began to talk.

"This morning, ten dead bodies were found deep in the forward edge of the battle area. Although no bodies of the natives were recovered from the site, we do believe it was an attack by them. However, after close examination, three of the bodies were found to have gunshot wounds. THIS, was not done by the natives. It was done by one of us." Colonel Hilton paused for a brief moment before he continued. "I want you to, take a good look, at the people around you. One or more of them, could be the traitor. These people have decided to turn their backs on us, and on the entire human race, in order to help the natives that we fight so very hard every day, in order to survive." Colonel Hilton was furious. However this didn't show as he did an excellent job keeping his composure. "I urge every single one of you to keep your eyes and ears open for any suspicious individuals or groups. If you see or hear anything that you suspect is linked to what we are dealing with, report it STRAIGHT AWAY." His voice and tone was very dominating. It made innocent people question themselves to the point where they would go insane and admit to their false crimes. "And finally, to whoever you are, you've made a BIG mistake. It's only a matter of time before I find you. And when I do, I'm going to make you wish you had never stepped foot on this place. You are a traitor and you will be punished."

Colonel Hilton walked out of the camera to end the meeting. Back at the FEBA base everyone was walking out of the hall. On their way to the exit, Dr. Eileen and Tak were stopped by soldiers.

"Dr. Eileen, I need you to come with me back to Hell's Gate. Colonel Hilton has requested to meet you. Dr. Ling, you are required to undertake mandatory weapons training. Our records show you haven't begun this so you'll need to proceed to the firing range to do so." Tak followed another soldier to the firing range while Dr. Eileen was taken to the chopper waiting outside. The rest of the team were left behind. "So what do we do?" asked Dr. Isaac. The others shrugged. Tak was taken to the firing range. It was located outside and had targets lined up behind a small man made hill. Tak was explained on how to handle a pistol. The supervisor explained the components of the gun, how to hold it, aim with it, load it, shoot it and what to do once finished, but Tak wasn't listening. He already knew all of this. Getting a gun back on earth was too easy. Every Saturday after judo practice Tak would return home and get his gun to go shoot some rounds at an abandoned warehouse. It was a large empty building that was perfect for a shooting range. He would practice on anything he could find, the most common things been beer bottles and aluminium cans. He taught himself everything through watching movies, documentaries and videos on the internet and putting this to practice. The occasional FPS helped as well as it improved his hand eye coordination. Although he was no expert shooter, headshots from a few metres away was nothing hard. Tak took aim and fired at the target that was set 25m away. After firing two clips of rounds, the targets were brought in. Not bad for a "first timer". The targets were then set to move. He emptied a clip on the target as it moved from side to side. Again, it was brought back in. The holes were scattered around the target with a few around the middle.

Tak took out the clip and placed it on the bench. He signed the log book to record his minutes of weapons training and returned to the hall. The others were gone. He walked around the base until he reached the small leisure room where he spotted the team working out. Dr. Isaac was running on a tread mill while Dr. Dale was helping Dr. Brent at one of the bench presses. Alan had no trouble with the bench press, as he could be seen doing 85kg with ease. Dr. Isaac hopped off the treadmill as she spotted Tak.

"Hey, how was the training? It's not too hard right?" she said. Tak shook his head to signify a no.

"Dr. Eileen had to return to Hell's Gate so we thought we'd all get some exercise done."

Tak wanted to leave as he hated being in a place full of aggressive, macho, military pricks. "How much longer are you staying?" he asked. "Well I can leave any time, but these guys may want to stay a little longer" she replied. Tak hadn't exercised in his human body since leaving Hell's Gate. He knew he had to keep up his strength and stamina or else the low Pandoran gravity would and scientist's lifestyle would reduce him to a useless, weak, unfit piece of shit. That's when he came up with an incredibly stupid yet brilliant idea.

"Can't you do this back at the shacks?" he asked Dr. Isaac.

"Yeah we could, if we had all this stuff" she said sarcastically.

"Well why don't we bring back over to the shacks?" he said. Dr. Isaac game him a look that obviously said "Are you serious?". Tak called the other two who felt extremely pumped as they had finished their sets on the bench press.

"Hey, you want to help me get some of this stuff on to the helicopter?" he said. Dr. Dale and Dr. Brent had never done anything rebellious during their time on Pandora. Feeling adventurous and wanting to get back at the marines who belittled scientists, the two agreed without even thinking about it. The three began to take dumbbells and bench press weights to the helicopter. Dr. Isaac tried to convince them it was a bad idea.

"Hey guys, guys, hey listen! This is such a bad idea, you're going to get caught." she said, but no one was listening to her. "Stop stealing the stuff! You're going to get us all into trouble! Guys! Gu- Oh fuck it, what the hell" After giving up, she decided to join in and took some light dumbbells. Alan noticed what was going on and stopped them.

"Hey! What the fuck are you all doing? You can't just take this stuff!" he said. Feeling awesome, Dr. Dale replied. "Really? Says who?" Dr. Brent backed him up "Yeah, says who? HAHAHA! Look, he's scared!" The two of them carried on while Alan stared in slight shock. He couldn't believe it, scientists were stealing from marines! Tak then returned and saw Alan's face.

"You going to help us or not?" he asked. Alan caved into the peer pressure and looked around to see if anyone was around. He then took the bench press bar and returned to help Tak with the bench. "Alan, you dumbass. What are you doing..." he said to himself. After loading the helicopter with the equipment, they team hopped on and returned to the shacks.

Back at Hell's Gate, Dr. Eileen was been questioned about the murder of the soldiers. Standing in Colonel Hilton's office, she felt a bit nervous and intimidated by the colonel.

"I thought I'd ask you some questions since your location is the closest to where the incident happened yesterday. Did you know about it?" he asked, directly looking into Dr. Eileen's eyes. She did her best to keep calm and maintain eye contact.

"No, not at all." she replied.

"What were you doing yesterday during the afternoon?"

"I went out in my Avatar with two other scientists to continue research on the plants."

"And where exactly are these plants?"

"Ahh, I would say within a 100m radius. Maybe a bit more."

"I see, so you wouldn't have heard anything then. What was the rest of the group doing?"

"They were in the shack."

Colonel Hilton re asked his question.

"I didn't ask where they were, I asked what they were doing."

"Well I don't know what they were doing, all I know is they were inside."

"Then that's all you had to say."

Dr. Eileen was getting more intimidated by his interrogation. However she managed to keep calm, not showing any signs of breaking under the pressure. Colonel Hilton then proceeded to ask her about the research.

"So have you found anything new? You do remember that you moved out there specifically to get us valuable results as you said, yes?"

"Yes I do remember and yes we have been gaining new information. I'll send a report to the main lab as soon as I get back."

Colonel Hilton looked out the window of his office and down at the large open area full of gunships and ground staff. As he did, he thought about whether Dr. Eileen could be a possible suspect. He concluded that she wasn't but gave her a warning.

"I understand that you have developed close relations with the natives of the area you're currently located at over the past few years. It's good that you've managed to make peace with the people, but you try anything fancy and you will face the consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes colonel" replied Dr. Eileen, feeling extremely intimidated and a little angry. Colonel Hilton turned to face her. "Good, I'm glad you understand. You are dismissed" he said and Dr. Eileen made her way outside and to the Samson that waited to take her back to the shacks.

The Samson made its way through the opening in the forest canopy and landed. As Dr. Eileen hopped out she saw that Dr. Dale, Dr. Brent and Tak were outside the shacks and had setup their own little gym. She approached Dr. Dale.

"Where the hell did you guys get all this stuff?" she asked. "We stole it, from the base." He replied with a smile. He then asked her a question.

"What did the Colonel want?"

"He just asked me if I knew anything about what happened yesterday, I told him I didn't."

"Did he buy it?"

"Sure did!"

The two high fived each other and went back inside. Dr. Brent also went back inside. Tak stayed as he wasn't done exercising. After completing he went inside to get a drink of water and returned back out to sit on the bench. Alan then came outside and walked towards him. He brought a chair and sat next to Tak.

"Hey, I need to talk to you about something." He said.

"ok" replied Tak.

"Ok, so... I'm really fucken confused right now. I don't know who I am anymore." Tak was listening but thought this was going to be a long speech about some sentimental crap which he wasn't interested in. Alan continued.

"Ever since getting here, on this planet, I feel like I've been changing. You know, cause, I mean look around you! How could this, this natural beauty not make you feel something? You know, something special? I don't really know how to explain it but anyway, like, I'm a fucken soldier right? It should be in my blood to shoot anything that moves right? Yet I don't because I'm blown away by this world. It's like I was meant to be something else you know? Like I was me-"

"What the fuck is your point?" interrupted Tak. After a pause Alan continued.

"Ok, ok. You know how last night doc was telling us about what happened? Well, you know, me being a soldier, I feel like it's my responsibility to go and report her to the Colonel. But, you know. I just don't want to. I mean, she's really nice and everything. And although there's no fucken way I can become a scientist, it's too late for that shit, I just know that I can learn so much from her. You know? I want to be part of this, whole thing. But I'm a soldier and I know that... FUCK! I don't know, I don't know what to do. I should report her but... I don't know. I mean why did she even tell us? She said it right in front of me!"

Alan's mixed feelings had put him in between the two opposite sides. Tak then gave him a little push in order to help him make his decision.

"Well why did you come here then?" he asked.

"To escape earth, and to protect the people. I mean us, not them" he replied.

There was a moment of silence as Alan thought hard about who he really was. He then made his decision.

"Fuck it, I'm going to report this to the Colonel." He said.

"Is that so?" replied Tak.

"Yeah, I mean, I can't let this build up. I'm going insane. I'm going to have to report this." As Alan stood up to return to the shacks, Tak stood up as well and replied to Alan.

"Sorry but I can't let you do that."


	16. Chapter 16

A week had passed since the war between the RDA and the Na'vi clan and things had seemed to return to normal. Tak hadn't gone to the village in over a week and neither had Dr. Eileen. Everyone at the shack was occupied with work. Tak tended to the plants that were being specially grown. Dr. Eileen saw him staring at the plants and joined him. She had been studying these plants for years and it was only recently that they showed significant signs of change. Wondering when the plants would finally be able to be used on earth, she began to reminisce about her research.

"Gosh, I can't believe I've been studying these guys for years now. I remember when I first started I hardly got any work done because all I ever did was stare at them. I would always get told to go back to work. But the hard work paid off, we're finally getting good results."

Tak couldn't help but notice something.

"Well, that's nice to know but if you've been studying these things for years then why do you only have this many test subjects. I thought you would've grown these in large numbers."

"We had a research lab setup at Grave's Bog three years ago. It was being used to study the plants and animals of the area. I wasn't there but the scientists who were made really good progress. They were the first ones to actually successfully grow Pandoran plants in earth like conditions. But, as always, people got greedy and wanted the area for Unobtanium. The nearby clans didn't like this because the area has a large Sturmbeest population and it's where they occasionally hunt. So, there was a fight and we were outnumbered, and we lost. The scientists got caught up in it and were killed. We were never allowed to return there. "

"Why would you anyway, plants are dead by now."

"Well actually, the scientists kept a number of samples inside a special cabinet which was used to keep things fresh for long periods of time. They most likely didn't turn the power off before they died, so… I don't know. Maybe they're still there."

Tak wanted to see more of Pandora. This was a chance to not only do so, but also get some valuable samples which could help with the research. He wasted no time and got straight to the point.

"Let's go there." he said, as if it was going to be like a stroll in the park.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Let's go and get the stuff."

"…..Were you listening to me? We' can't go there, it's a restricted area."

"Ok I'll go myself."

"Come on quit joking. You're not going there. Besides, no one's going to take you. You don't even know where it is."

"I'll find out."

Tak began typing a message on his keyboard to send to Yuki requesting for her to fly him to a special "research site". He tried to get her excited by saying that it would be a place of extreme interest to her as well. Bullshit. As he was typing, Dr. Eileen tried to convince him it was a bad idea.

"It's not going to work, HQ knows where all the choppers go."

"Why you trying so hard to stop me?"

"Because you're wasting your time, and even if you did somehow manage to get there, it's dangerous. You've obviously never seen a herd of Sturmbeest stampeding through the fields."

"Nope, but I guess I'll find out."

"Why do I bother."

Yuki arrived after noon just as the gang were eating lunch. Hearing the roar of the Samson coming in, Tak stuffed the remainder of his sandwich into his mouth and washed it down with water. He got his exopack and headed towards the door. Alan caught him on the way.

"Hey, where you off to?"

"Somewhere awesome, you may want to come to."

"Yeah? Where is it? "

"Don't know, just come."

Alan grabbed his exopack and his standard issue rifle. Before leaving the lab, he saw a camera on Dr. Isaac's desk.

"Hey what's this?" he asked.

"It's a camera, we use to take photos of any new plant and animal species we discover."

"Nice, can I borrow it?"

"Uhhh, well-"

"Pleeeeeease?"

Dr. Isaac smiled and giggled. "Sure, just bring it back in one piece" she said.

"Thanks." said Alan and he chased after Tak. Dr. Eileen also heard the Samson touchdown outside and ran after the two of them.

"HEY WAIT! You're really going?" she asked with worried look on her face.

"Yeah, Alan's going too."

"Just come! You know you want to." said Alan. Tak began to walk to the door and Alan followed shortly after. Dr. Eileen sighed and looked away.

"Wait, I'll get my stuff… shit." she said.

The three hopped onboard and Yuki greeted everyone. They got out of the forest and Dr. Eileen explained to Yuki how to get there. Tak noticed Dr. Eileen was holding his laptop.

"Why did you bring my laptop?" he asked.

"There might be some really useful stuff on the computers so I brought something to load it onto. I brought all the cords so this thing doesn't run out of battery. "

It was a long flight but they finally reached Grave's Bog. It was an environment similar to the FEBA but the vegetation was less dense and there was more space. Many corridors were formed by large cliffs that were covered in vines and some plants. Parts of the forest floor were submerged in shallow water, creating a beautiful network of rivers. It was like a natural city where the streets were the rivers and the large buildings were the trees and cliffs. Small groups of Sturmbeest could be seen walking through the forest. As the stomped through the area, Stingbats and Tetrapterons flew out of the trees in groups. They flew over the forest, taking in the amazing view. Alan was taking a lot of pictures with the camera he borrowed. Leaning out of the side, he held on with one hand and the camera in the other. He looked like a passionate photographer but he was just being a little kid having too much fun. They finally reached the abandoned research site. Landing next to the site, they hopped out and walked towards the shack. It was covered in vines and weeds that had grown over the years. Branches wrapped the stairs and the railing like tentacles of a deep sea creature and made its way up to the door which. There were no signs, but the growth of plants said "do not enter", giving the feeling that there was something bad waiting inside. Tak and Alan ripped off the plants and opened the door. They all stepped in and waited for the Pandoran air to be filtered out before proceeding inside. It was silent and very neat and tidy. They walked around and had a look before sitting down. Dr. Eileen went to one of the desks and picked up the photo that sat on it. She looked at it with a sad look. It was a picture of a man with a woman and a little girl. She walked back to her seat with the picture in her hand. Yuki was next to her and had a look at the picture.

"Someone you know?" she asked.

"Yeah, he was a nice guy. Everyone who worked here was"

"What happened?"

"They were all killed."

"Oh….I'm sorry t hear that."

Dr. Eileen put the picture down on a box and stood up. "Well, let's go and get what we came here for" she said. The others got up as well and they began searching the shack for anything that could be useful. Tak walked around but saw nothing interesting. He went to the other shack that was connected and looked around. He found what looked like the cabinet that Dr. Eileen had described and opened it. Blue fluorescent lights lit up as the door opened and cold air oozed out. Inside were a number of labelled sample tubes with specimens in them. He smiled as he had found the goods and closed the cabinet.

"Hey! I found it!" he said to the others. They came rushing to him. He opened the cabinet and they all looked inside. Dr. Eileen was overwhelmed to see that the specimens were still there. They decided to leave them inside for the time being and resumed searching for anything that would provide them with information about the research that was being conducted. It was already past noon and they were starving. They had collected numerous reports, photos and downloaded all sorts f information from the computers onto Tak's laptop. Alan looked in the fridge to see if there was any food.

"Let's see what we have…. Uuugh, yuck. Nope. Shit. Shit. What the f… It's all expired. There's nothing." he said. The others showed signs of disappointment.

"Hey, let's go for a walk." said Tak to Alan. Without question, Alan grabbed the camera and followed. "No! You can't go out there, it's too dangerous!" said Dr. Eileen but it was no use. They ignored her and made their way outside. On the way Tak grabbed a large bag he found when he first walked in. With their exopacks on, they stepped outside. They walked around the lake as they looked at the water and how it reflected the sunlight like a huge mirror and made their way into the forest. It was a gradient which went from hardly any plants to lots of plants.

"So what's the bag for?" asked Alan

"We'll try and collect fruits and seeds and shit. Anything you see that looks edible, just tell me."

"Alright cool, never had Pandoran food."

They walked through the forest searching for anything that looked like a fruit. Tak then decided to ask Alan something that he couldn't understand.

"You know on the shuttle down here I was sitting next to you." said Tak.

"Really? Damn, I never noticed."

"Yeah that's because you were too busy shitting your pants. You hang out of choppers all the time but you get scared of flying in a shuttle?"

"Yeah… I just hate thinking about what could go wrong."

Tak gave him a look which said "what are you talking about?".

"You know, if something goes wrong then there's no way you're going to make it back down to the ground so, you know…. That thought of being stuck in space forever, it just…. I fucken hate it." said Alan. Tak laughed a bit. "Really?" he said, mocking Alan. "What ever bitch." replied Alan. They continued through the forest. There were quite a lot of plants and animals but it wasn't as diverse as the FEBA. This was a perfect opportunity for Alan to take as many pictures as possible. Up in the trees were groups of Stingbats and Tetrapterons hanging upside down from branches while occasionally Prolemuris could be seen swinging from tree to tree. There were insects of different shapes and sizes crawling up and down tree trunks and on the ground. Alan got close and took pictures while observing these very alien yet familiar creatures. If he was back on earth he would probably be a photographer for National Geographic magazine. The plants also caught Alan's attention as he was taking pictures of any plant that looked interesting to him. Plants of all shapes, size and colour filled the camera's memory along with creatures of the forest. It seemed like Alan was having all the fun. Tak was enjoying the relaxing walk but he wanted to find some fruits. He heard Prolemuris up in the trees and looked up to see them picking at the tree branches and eating something. He asked Alan to aim at them with the camera and zoom in to get a closer look. They were eating fruits. Tak opened the bag and dropped it on the ground. He then began to climb the tall, odd shaped tree. Reaching the first branch was a challenge but after that it was a breeze. He reached the fruits and came face to face with a Prolemuri. It stared at him with a fruit in its hand, tilting its head in confusion. "Hey there." said Tak before the Prolemuri moved to another branch. Tak then began to pick the fruits off the branch and tossed them down to Alan who caught them and placed them in the bag. After getting a few he decided to climb down but noticed the whole group of Prolemuris were staring at him. He stared back at them. Not knowing what to do, he waved goodbye before descending back to the ground.

After their first find, their luck seemed to continue. They managed to gather a whole bunch of blue grape like fruits, three large, green coconut like fruits, five orange fruits which looked like pears, a nice amount of the delicious Episoth seeds which Tak tried before and the very rare banana fruit. The bag was heavy so they decided it was enough and headed back to the shacks. On the way they heard the sound of motors echoing through the forest. Not wanting to be noticed, they hid behind a tree and listened. It sounded like two ATV's. They stopped and the men riding them got off.

"Well, ain't this an exciting place." said a man.

"Just like the area before. Nothing here to kill." said another. Tak and Alan continued to listen. There seemed to be four men. They began to have a conversation.

"This is bullshit, why are we stuck here while other guys get to shoot shit everyday down at the mines?"

"Oh I don't know, who cares anyway. Word is there's gonna be another attack soon so they'll most likely get guys from places with little activity to do the job."

"Yeah? So we're gonna see some action soon?"

"Let's hope so."

"Better be us."

Tak and Alan were too focused on listening to what was being said that they didn't notice the Sturmbeest herd approaching them. This was a large herd, there were many adults and a few calves. They hadn't been spotted yet but it was only a matter of time. The conversation got boring so Alan began to look around. He spotted the herd approaching and tapped Tak to get his attention. Tak looked to see the giant beasts approaching him.

"Just keep quiet and very still." said Tak. But Alan couldn't resist and turned on the camera to take a video. Tak was concerned about some of the herd being gunned down by the troops nearby. He picked up a stone and waited for the herd to come closer. They still hadn't been spotted. When they were close enough, Tak threw the stone at what he believed to be a male. It was huge compared to most of the others, it had a high ridge bone on its back and a large top horn. The Sturmbeest felt the impact and yelled out. It then began to charge towards Tak and Alan. More Sturmbeest followed.

"What the fuck are you doing?" yelled Alan.

"Not too sure. Just stay calm." replied Tak.

As the Sturmbeest charged towards them the men heard the stampede and ran out to see a group of pissed off Sturmbeest coming towards them. They opened fire but it was absolutely useless so they ran back to their ATVs. The Sturmbeest's attention had now been drawn to the troops. Before they could escape, the Sturmbeest annihilated them. They were rammed by the Sturmbeest's horns, tossed in the air and then crushed. Tak and Alan remained still as the herd blew past them. What people said was true after all, a Sturmbeest stampede was as loud as a Valkyrie shuttle taking off. "Wow, that actually worked." said Tak to himself. The aggressive bunch of the herd continued to make sure the troops didn't pose a threat to them while the large male returned to Tak and Alan, searching for further dangers. It came right up to Tak and Alan who were both pressed up against the tree trunk.

"You still recording?" whispered Tak.

"Yeah." replied Alan, who then focused the camera onto the Sturmbeest. It sniffed the two of them and looked around slowly, scanning the spot. Both of them had never had an experience like this, not even back on earth. It was very exciting. They whispered to each other.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"….This is pretty awesome."

"….Yeah…. I know… This is fucken awesome!"

"I know ey!"

"This is so cool!"

Tak then reached out with his hand. Alan was trying to tell him not to but it Tak ignored him. He slowly moved his hand towards the horn that protruded from the bottom jaw and touched it. Alan was filming every bit of it. Alan was amazed. He whispered to Tak. "Hey! You're on camera! Give us a pose!" he said. Tak kept his hand on the stormiest and gave the camera the middle finger. It was what he was used to doing since he hated taking photos. But this time was different. He didn't feel uncomfortable with a camera pointed towards him. "No! Don't do that, do something else." said Alan. Tak then changed his middle finger to a set of devil horns. The Sturmbeest then suddenly turned away and returned to its herd. "See yak!" said Alan to the Sturmbeest as he filmed the last few seconds of footage before stopping and turning off the camera. They then walked over to the lifeless bodies that laid on the ground. The insides had exploded out from the head which had been flattened. The cracked skull forced the brain to fly out, spewing out blood which soaked into the soil. Their heads looked like a deflated sack of skin. Looking at the dead bodies got boring so they returned to the shacks.

When they returned Dr. Eileen was relieved to see them. "Oh good, you're back. I was getting worried" she said., Tak threw the bag onto a table and opened it, revealing the goods. They took out all the fruits and spread them across the table.

"Wow! How did you find all this?" asked Yuki. Dr. Eileen was impressed as well. They began tasting the different fruits as Dr. Eileen explained to them what each of the fruits were. Tak first tried the blue grape. It was very sweet and juicy. He then tried the orange pear. It was less sweet and had a subtle taste but it was firm and had a nice texture. After eating most of it, he gave the rest to Yuki who asked to try some. They both agreed, it tasted amazing. Alan decided to crack open one of the green coconuts with his knife to discover there was juice inside. He got 4 glasses and poured it out, spilling some in the process. They tasted it. A lovely, sweet and refreshing drink. Tak then decided to let everyone try the Episoth seed. Alan smashed a seed with the end of his rifle. Just like last time, it was crunchy and sweet. While they enjoyed their fruits, Alan picked up the banana fruit and asked Dr. Eileen about it.

"So, what's this thing?"

"That is the banana fruit. It's actually very rare so you'll be lucky to find one. The Na'vi offer it to someone as a gift but it's customary to refuse such a rare find."

"Well, you found it Tak. I guess It's up to you to give it to someone."

Alan gave the banana fruit to Tak. For the rest of the day the scientists went through all the information they had gathered as they discussed it with each other while Alan played games on Tak's laptop and listened to some relaxing music. By late afternoon when the sun began to set the scientists had got sick of going through report after report and decided to stop. Unable to fly during the night, they decided to stay at the shacks for the night. Tak remembered what had happened back at the forest. He didn't want anyone to find out so he got the camera and transferred the video wirelessly to his laptop and edited out the part which he didn't want people to know about. He also uploaded all the photos that Alan took and wiped the camera's memory of everything that was taken on that day. Alan then came to him.

"Hey, I want to show the others the photos. Can I get the camera?"

"I uploaded everything onto the laptop."

""Oh cool, and ahhh… about that incident today with the Stur-"

"Yeah yeah, I know. I got rid of that bit. It's all on here."

"Nice. So let's go show them."

They first showed the photos to Dr. Eileen and Yuki who loved them, praising Alan's photography skills. They then told them about Tak's first hand experience which they didn't believe at first but after showing the video they were speechless.

"No way, guys! This is amazing! You touched the animal! You actually touched the animal!" Dr. Eileen still couldn't believe it, neither could Yuki. For the rest of the night they remained in awe and amazement.

The next day they returned to the FEBA. The three were dropped off and thanked Yuki for her big help, giving her some of the leftover delicious fruits. Carrying the rest of the fruit and all the stuff they recovered from the research site, they walked into the shacks. They were asked about what they did. Dr. Eileen explained everything along with Alan. He showed them pictures and the video to which he got amazed responses. Tak went to his bed and lied down, holding the banana fruit and staring at it. After a while Dr. Eileen came in to see Tak lying on his bed, looking bored.

"Whatcha doing there?" she asked. Tak shrugged.

"Why don't you go to the village? It's been a while. I'm sure your friend's dying to see you."

"yeah, maybe I should." He said. He then got out of his bed and went to the link. Just before he was about to leave, Dr. Eileen called for him outside the shack door.

"Hey! You forgot something!" she said, and threw the banana fruit to him.

Tak entered the village. By now the people were used to seeing him but they hadn't seen him for a while and so they stared at him in surprise. His friend soon came running to him but he was called by a woman, probably his mother. She told him to come to her. He gave Tak a smile before returning. With no one to hang out with he walked over to his favourite log and sat down. Shortly after, someone sat down next to him. He turned around to see Zetey who greeted him with a slight smile. Tak nodded at her.

"…I was gonna give this to him but.….yeah..." he said. Zetey noticed the banana fruit in his hand.

"Well, see you later." said Tak as he handed Zetey the banana fruit and got up to walk away. It was a bit crude the way he gave her the gift but it was a nice thing and it put a smile on her face. She stood up.

"Hey!" she yelled. Tak stopped. Zetey walked to him and returned the gift. "Come, you will help me today." she said and lead Tak into the forest to go and collect food.

Meanwhile back at the shacks, Dr. Eileen picked up a personal diary of one of the scientists she found back at Grave's Bog. It was hidden in one of the drawers of a desk. She didn't get a chance to read it so she decided to do so. As she read page after page, she began to discover a secret which had been kept from the RDA for years.


	17. Chapter 17

It was a slow and dull day back at Hell's Gate. People in the control tower went about their jobs, doing the usual boring stuff they did day after day. But this is what it was like all the time. Colonel Hilton was sitting in his office looking at statistical summaries. Not much new, supplies were at normal levels, Unobtanium was being mined at the usual rate and there was no unusual activity within the human colony, although there were high casualties for the month. He was tired and needed a break. He dropped the papers on the desk, rubbed his eyes with his fingers and sat in silence for a while. He then picked up the photo that was on his desk and looked at it for a while. Memories of being with her began to return, and a small smile started to stretch across his face but he was interrupted.

"Sir? You still haven't given any orders regarding Dr. Eileen's trespassing into the restricted area."

"Oh, uh, right… Just get Sergeant Terry to take care of it. Thankyou."

The man left his office and he returned to look at the photo for a few seconds before putting it back on his desk. He sighed and resumed looking at the papers. Only if he could be with her right now.

Meanwhile back at the FEBA, Zetey was taking Tak through the forest in search for food to bring back to the village. Tak couldn't care about what they were going to do, as long as he got to explore Pandora and got away from work. As they both made their way through the forest, something caught Tak's attention. It was an animal with a sleek body and a sharp, pointy head. The two front legs were small compared to the other four and the head was cocked back. It seemed to be searching for something. Tak thought it looked cool and continued to observe it. Zetey realised he wasn't following her and looked back to see Tak staring death straight in the eye. Without saying anything she tackled him to the ground behind some plants. She placed her hand over his mouth. She listened carefully for the animal and looked around the plants. It was looking in their direction but hadn't spotted them. Losing interest, it looked in another direction. Tak wanted to know what the big deal was. He gently removed her hand off his mouth.

"What is it?" he whispered.

"Lenay'ga, very dangerous. Do not make a sound or it will hear you."

With a beautiful half naked female alien lying on top of him, Tak felt a bit awkward. Unable to do anything, he just looked at his surroundings and tried to avoid making eye contact. Zetey finally got off him to see if the animal had disappeared. It wasn't in sight so she stood up and helped Tak to his feet.

"Do not look at it or it will kill you." she said as she walked. They went on to gather fruits and some plants and returned to hometree. They carried the food up to the fire and put it on the ground. It was fun for Tak, but now he had to return. He was about to leave but felt that he should say something before leaving.

"Well, I better go now…"

"Yes, thankyou for helping."

"…..Ok then, kiyevame."

"Kiyevame."

Before leaving, Tak reached into his pocket and took out the banana fruit he still hadn't eaten. He didn't see what was so special about it so he tossed it onto the pile and then walked back to the shacks. Zetey watched as he made his way down the central spiral of hometree. This dreamwalker was definitely different to the others she had met before. She didn't know what it was, but he was different. Maybe it was his generosity, or how quiet he was, or how he was so willing to help, or how he had even managed to become close friends with one of the children. A shy and gentle person indeed. After he was no longer in sight, Zetey picked up the banana fruit and ate it. It was delicious. She hadn't had one in a very long time. Biting into the juicy flesh put a smile on her face.

Tak woke up in his human body. The link opened and he pushed the metal frame off his chest. He looked to his left to see Dr. Eileen sitting on a chair reading something. Wasting no time she began to explain to him what she had been reading for the past few hours in a soft voice so that the others wouldn't hear.

"Oh good you're back, listen Tak. The scientists back at Grave's Bog, they were on to something very big. See this? I've been reading this since you were gone. You're not gonna believe what's in here. The guys, the people back at Grave's Bog, where we went yesterday. They were doing all these experiments with the plants right? Well, I didn't tell you this but no one really gave a crap about plants, and they still don't. Anyway, we've known their potential for medical and environmental uses for a long time but RDA's never been interested in that stuff. But this? What these guys discovered over the years is stuff that RDA would kill for."

Tak looked confused and wasn't sure what the fuck Dr. Eileen was going on about. She then got to the point.

"They discovered the potential of these plants as weapons! I mean, we're talking about millions, maybe billions of dollars worth in biochemical weaponry, genetically engineering humans to create super soldiers, manufacturing drugs to enhance the performance of humans, all that type of stuff. And the RDA still doesn't know about this because they've been keeping it a secret! No else knew and now we're the only ones that do."

Tak wasn't expecting something this big but he managed to take it all in. He sat in silence thinking about what he had just been told.

"Don't you see? They were keeping this out of the wrong hands. I mean, look at our planet. Look at the state that it's in. You think THIS would've solved it all? No! Of course not! It would've just made things worse!"

There was a moment of silence before Tak spoke.

"…..You haven't told the others?"

"No of course not."

"…..So why are you telling me?" Dr. Eileen sighed before answering his question.

"Honestly, I don't really know. I really don't know. But there's something indescribable about you that makes me feel like I can trust you. Can I?"

Tak had no intentions of telling anyone, after all he had a secret of his own. He didn't know what to say but he didn't have to say anything because they were interrupted by the sound of an incoming helicopter. They looked out the window to see a Samson landing. Three men hopped off and before they entered the shacks, Dr. Eileen ran to her bed and hid the journal under her mattress. When the men entered they spotted Tak and Dr. Eileen.

"Shit, what do you want now?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"You, you've got some explaining to do." replied Sergeant Terry in an unfriendly tone.

"What the hell were you doing at the restricted area yesterday?"

"….."

"What the fuck were you doing there yesterday?"

"Geez calm down."

"Answer the fucken question!"

"Alright alright, I was doing some research."

"Research? Really? And where exactly is this, research?"

"In the lab of course, in the other shack. Look just go away, you're wasting your time. I just went there to collect some samples and some papers and that's it."

"I'll leave when I'm done bitch, you hear me? And as a matter of fact, a group of men were killed yesterday. They were crushed by Sturmbeest, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

"No I don't, but they probably shouldn't have been there in the first place."

"What the fuck are you looking at you gook?"

Terry turned his attention to Tak who had been staring at him since they arrived. At the sight of his face, the only thing he could think of was brutally murdering this piece of shit. He kept silent but continued to stare at his victim to be. Terry walked up to him and got right in his face.

"You got a fucken problem you chink?" No response.

"You try anything funny and I'll fucken kill you."

Terry backed away from Tak and the three of them went to the lab shack to have a look around. They trashed the place, opening drawers and throwing out everything, looking through the shelves and inside any containers. Once they had their fun making a mess, they left. On the way out Terry and the others took one last look at Tak and Dr. Eileen before heading back to the chopper.

"Assholes." said Dr. Eileen. They went into the other shack to find the mess that was made and began to tidy everything up. The others were already picking up papers and books from the floor. Once they returned everything back to the way it was, Dr. Eileen asked if anyone had sent any of the new information to other people to which they replied no. Dr. Eileen was relieved but she didn't show any signs of this as it would have been a give away to what she had discovered.

"Ok well there's quite a lot to go through so me and Tak are going to have a look through it again so unless you want to join us, I guess you can just keep doing your work as usual."

The others weren't keen at all, they weren't even keen on doing their normal work, so they went back to what they were doing before the disturbance. Tak took his laptop over to his desk and Dr. Eileen brought her chair over. They opened folder after folder of information and had a quick look through what was inside. There were many reports, graphs and tables. They then came to a folder which had a word document titled "PLEASE READ THIS". Tak opened the file to reveal a personal message from one of the scientists.

"If you are reading this then I will most likely be already dead. The information contained within this folder is extremely valuable. As to what it is, I cannot tell you. That is something you must find out for yourself. However, what you do with this information is up to you. I just hope that you make the right decision. The future of our planet is now in your hands."

They already knew what the information was as they read the diary of one of the scientists and they already had the hard work done for them. All they had to do was keep the contents of this particular folder a secret. For the rest of the day they had another look at the new information, examining multiple computer models of chemical compounds and reports. After dinner they sent what needed to be sent to the main research centre at Hell's Gate.

"Let's just hope they don't accidently discover what we've learned" said Dr. Eileen.

The next day Dr. Eileen received a request from Dr. Grace Augustine to come and visit her at Hell's Gate concerning her good job on finding the hidden information. Not wanting to take all the credit she told Alan and together they went to wake up Tak who was still asleep. He was in a dream which he didn't want to wake up from. Tak was walking through the forest, following a small river. As he walked along side it, it got bigger and bigger. Trees were everywhere until he reached a point where there was nothing ahead and the river ended with a waterfall. What presented itself in front of him was an amazing view of what seemed to be a massive well with many waterfalls all displacing their water to the ground far below. Plants covered the cliff faces of the well and some trees even grew horizontally out from the well. In the middle of the well was a large rock floating like an island in the middle of the sea. It was heavily covered in trees on top and small plants grew on the sides and bottom. Vines grew from all sides and connected it to other smaller rocks, anchoring it in the middle. It was unbelievably beautiful. Tak wanted to go to the island. Without thinking, he took a step forward, only to fall to the ground below. He hit the ground but there was no pain. Everything went black and silent. He didn't know where he was now, but he could hear a voice calling for him. It was faint at start but it got louder. "Tak, Tak, wake up. Tak wake up, we have to go soon. Wake up Tak." said the voice. Feeling his body being shook, he slowly woke up from the dream. Reality started to fade in and he saw Dr. Eileen.

"Damn you're hard to wake up. We're going to see Dr. Augustine so get ready. Our ride's going to be here soon." she said. Tak stayed in bed for a minute, reflecting on the dream he just had. What did it mean? Maybe nothing, but he wanted to return to that place. He got out of bed to get ready. On the way to Hell's Gate Tak asked Alan about why they were going to Hell's Gate.

"Dr. Augustine wants to talk to us in person about how much of an awesome job we did recovering the information from Grave's Bog. I don't really want to meet her, but anyway." said Alan.

"Why not?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"I've heard things about her, she hates my type."

"Hmmm, I know what you mean. But just come meet her, she might not be as bad as you think."

"Nah I'll let you two handle this."

For the rest of the flight Alan and Dr. Eileen discussed Dr. Augustine's hatred for jarheads while Tak kept quiet. He was still trying to figure out what the dream he had meant.

When they landed at Hell's Gate Alan decided to take a walk around inside. Tak unexpectedly joined him.

"You're not coming?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"No, don't feel like it." Replied Tak as if he didn't give a shit.

"But I can't take all the credit. This was a team effort."

"Yeah well get Yuki to go with you, I'm sure you'll find her somewhere in the lab."

"No. We're all going together."

"No. You two are going together. Besides, you two will get double the amount of credit. Ok bye."

The two walked off, leaving Dr. Eileen standing alone. Raising her arms slightly and dropping them in as an expression of hopelessness, she made her way to the lab to meet Dr. Augustine. Tak and Alan walked around, giving themselves a tour of the Hell's Gate complex. Everywhere looked the same. It was a never ending network of corridors and rooms. They continued to walk around the place, spending a number of minutes on each floor. They then came to a place which had a noticeboard with many notes pinned on it. They read some to find that they were notices for missing property. Alan walked to the counter.

"Hey, what is this place?" he asked to the man sitting in the chair.

"You lose something, you come here to find it. You die, then your valuable stuff gets sent here. One man's trash is another man's treasure."

Alan and Tak decided to enter the large room full of personal belongings. There were all sorts of items and all of them were identified by a tag. They split up and looked through the stash of valuables. Alan had instantly turned into a child and the shelves around him were like the shelves at a toy store. His attention was drawn to all sorts of knives and blades, fancy watches, necklaces, Zippo lighters and any other thing he dreamed of having but couldn't afford back on earth. On the other hand, Tak hadn't found anything of interest. He slowly scanned the shelves only to find the usual crap, until his eyes were drawn to a black rectangular case. The material that covered it was worn out and was beginning to peel off around the corners. Tak took the case, put it on the floor and opened it to unveil what was inside. A beautiful Gibson Les Paul almost in mint condition laid in the case. He took it out to have a look at this magnificent guitar. The gloss coating was still present all over, the strings sounded great, the frets weren't too worn out and only a little bit of the gold coating had come off from around the edges of the humbuckers and the bridge. Tak looked inside the case for a pick and found one. He took it and played a quick Blues lick, putting a smile on his face. He had to have this. He returned everything back to the case and held onto it. He then went back to the man at the counter.

"What do I need to do to have this?" he asked. The man left his seat and returned with a form.

"Just fill this out and sign at the bottom." he replied. Tak filled in his details and handed the form over to the man. "Alright, done. Have fun with that." he said. Tak returned to the shelves to look for Alan. He spotted him with a knife in one hand and a figure of a demon in another.

"Hey, you already got something hu? Anyway, check out all this cool shit! My pockets are filled. Come on have a look! There's no way you're leaving here with just that, this place is a fucken treasure chest!" said Alan. Taking his advice, Tak searched through the shelves. Alan was right, this place was a treasure chest. Maybe Alan got lucky and found where all the goodies were. Tak found a metal figure of an Asian dragon and held it close. "This would look great on my desk" he thought, and decided to take it. Half an hour since they found this place, both of them finally decided to leave. They checked out with all their stuff. Tak only had one item whereas Alan had item after item coming out of his pockets. With nothing to do, they headed outside and walked around. They decided to sit on the ground with their backs against the wall and watch as Samsons and Scorpions took off and landed. It was a beautiful day. The sun shined its light and warmth on them as a cool breeze swept across the ground. Tak took out his guitar and began to play it while Alan took out a necklace and looked at it.

"Ey, you think she'll like it?" asked Alan but Tak wasn't paying attention. "Right…. I hope she does" he said to himself. The two of them stayed there for nearly an hour before they were interrupted by an officer.

"You two with Dr. Eileen?" he asked.

"Yeah" replied Alan.

"She's waiting for you back at where you were dropped off."

The two of them stood up and made their way back. On the return flight Alan showed his new stuff to Dr. Eileen. She also explained what she discussed with Dr. Augustine. Grace was surprised to hear of a marine who actually took interest in the science. Tak kept silent again, he couldn't wait to get back and play his new guitar.

When they returned Tak went straight to his amp and plugged in his new guitar. He didn't stop until Dr. Eileen came to interrupt him. "It's that time of the day again" she said. Tak wanted to play his guitar but he also wanted to explore more of the forest. He sighed as he turned off the amp and made his way to the link. The two of them made their way to the village. Before entering the outskirts of the village a little Na'vi boy came running out. Dr. Eileen stopped him and kneeled down to his level. It was Tak's little friend. She spoke to him in Na'vi.

"What are you doing? You know it's dangerous out here. If you're caught then you're going to be in trouble. Come on, go back bef-"

"Come back! Come ba- Come here now!" yelled Zetey. She was furious. Grabbing him by the arm and pulling him to face her she yelled at him.

"You know the rules! No children outside the village! Go back to your mother!" she yelled. The boy didn't move so Dr. Eileen volunteered to take him back. They slowly made their way as the boy cried silently. Zetey waited for them to clear the area before she turned her attention to Tak.

"This is your fault." she said as she pointed her bow at his face.

"Ever since you become his friend he has changed. He does not listen to his mother, he does not play with the children, he is always coming here where it is dangerous. Because of you."

Tak couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"….Are you fucken serious? How the fuck is this my fucken fault?" he said.

"You teach him bad things!"

"I didn't teach him shit except friendship! And if you think that's such a bad fucken thing then fuck you!"

"Go away!"

Zetey turned around and walked away with her back to Tak. "Fuck you! Fucken bitch!" yelled Tak from behind. "FUUUCK!" he yelled as he picked up a large stick and took a swing at any plant he saw on the way back. He broke the stick in half and threw it away before returning to the shacks.

That night during dinner while everyone was half way through their meal, Tak had already finished and was on his third beer. He had been in an extremely shit mood since the afternoon and the beer wasn't helping at all to calm him down. Just when he thought he had made another friend with the Na'vi, shit hit the fan. The conversation died down a bit so Dr. Brent asked why Tak's day with the Na'vi finished so early. Tak ignored the question and got up to leave. He went to the food cabinet and searched for alcohol. He found a bottle of Vodka so he took it. He then went to the fridge and took three more beers. He opened the Vodka and skulled a third of the bottle as he went to his bed. He dropped the cans onto the floor and fell onto the mattress, looking at the mattress above. He let go of the Vodka and cracked open a beer. Zetey's angry voice echoed through his mind as he drank his beer. His anger built up and caused him to crush the beer can. "Fucken bitch" he said as he threw the can away. Opening another beer, he tried to think of something else. Time passed and slowly felt more relaxed. His head was slightly throbbing. He got up to go and pee then returned. By the time Dr. Eileen came to check up on him he was just finishing his last can. She saw the cans and the Vodka and got concerned so she reached for the Vodka. Tak grabbed it before she could.

"Fuck off that's mine" he said. As he took a long sip, Dr. Eileen tried to make him feel better.

"So….. I heard what happened…. Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong. It's just a big misunderstanding." Tak wasn't convinced so Dr. Eileen continued.

"I talked to your friend. I think that's the first time he's spoken in a very long time. He really looks up to you. He told me that none of the kids would want to play with him, so when you showed your friendship he was overwhelmed. I do agree with his mother, he has changed. He spends all his time in his own little adventurous world. You know he's been running to the edges of the village everyday? Yeah, he told me that everyday he think about running over here to the shacks, because he wants to meet you. But he can never bring himself to doing it. But you know, I'm glad he's changed. He's a lot happier now than before he met you…. You're a good person, you just don't realize it."

Tak was getting tired. He could understand what Dr. Eileen was saying but he couldn't comprehend it. He got up to go to pee again and this time he took the bottle with him. He drank as he peed and didn't bother flushing or washing his hand. On the way back to his bed he stumbled a bit so Dr. Eileen helped him.

"Anyway, I talked to his mother and I think she understands now. I also had a chat with Zetey, and she understands too. Don't know if her bad impressions of you are gone though, I guess you'll have to find out yourself."

Dr. Eileen took the bottle from his hands and finished it off in one go. She let out a long breath.

"Don't worry, these things happen. Just get some rest ok?" she said as she squeezed his shoulder to try and comfort him. She stood up and began to walk. "Oh by the way nice guitar. You can tell me all about it tomorrow." she said with a smile before returning to the others. Tak had now completely forgotten about the argument and was now thinking about Dr. Eileen. Why was she such a nice person? Why couldn't more people be like her? He kicked off his shoes and closed his eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

Tak woke up the late next morning feeling a bit like shit. His stomach felt weird from all the alcohol he drank last night and wanted to eat something. He lay in bed for a while and thought about the argument he had the day before. Last night he was angry but now he didn't know what to feel. Thinking about it took too much of a toll on him mentally and now his mind was scrambled. He decided to try and forget about it. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths and finally got out of bed. He made his way to the bathroom with his towel and took a long shower. When he came out he went back to his bed where his clothes were and got dressed. He then got himself a bowl of cereal and brought it to his desk and ate it as he turned on his computer and waited for it to start up. As he ate his breakfast Dr. Eileen walked over to see how he was doing.

"How you feeling?" she asked.

Tak shrugged his shoulders. He seemed like his usual self, very dull and unmotivated. He didn't seem like he wanted to talk so Dr. Eileen finished there. The computer was now ready to use but Tak didn't touch the mouse or the keyboard. There was really no work to do and if there was then he wasn't in a rush to finish it. He looked out his window and stared into the never ending forest, remaining silent and still like a lifeless body. Everyone else was still wondering what was wrong with him since last night. Dr. Eileen didn't talk about it and decided to keep it that way. Tak went to clean his bowl and brush his teeth. When he returned to his desk he resumed staring out the window.

Before afternoon Dr. Eileen, Dr. Brent and Dr. Dale had an early lunch as they were going to go hiking through the jungle in their Avatars. They hopped into the links and Dr. Isaac got them set up. As they connected to their Avatars Alan watched. Dr. Isaac had to stay and keep an eye on the Avatar drivers so Alan decided to stay. He asked her how it worked so she explained to him the whole process of transferring the human mind over to the Avatar. Meanwhile Tak was still sitting at his desk. It was one of those days where he didn't know what he wanted to do. Instead of forcing himself to do something, he just let the time pass. He finally realized how long he had been sitting down for and looked around them room. No one was there. He got up to get a drink. He could here Alan and Dr. Isaac chatting away in the other room, nothing unusual. He got a drink and returned to his desk. Before he sat back down, something hit the window and caught his attention. He scanned the area outside the window but there was nothing. Then another object hit the window. It came from within the thick growth of plants. He waited to see if it would happen again, and it did. This time two objects were thrown, one after the other. It was as if someone was trying to get his attention. Could it be? It didn't seem like a hostile move so he decided to go outside and find out what it was. He got an exopack and headed to the door. Alan didn't even stop his conversation to ask where Tak was going as he was deeply immersed in all the science behind the Avatar program. Tak put on his exopack and headed outside. He went around to the window at which he sits in front of and saw four sticks on the ground. He then turned to face the direction in which they came from. He was certain that someone was calling for him. He walked into the growth of plants, making his way through the many branches and stems which he had to push apart.

"You come, good" said Tsuwokan. He was kneeling to the left of Tak.

"We need your help. Skypeople attack Swotulu village. They bring machines, very big. Swotulu is a special place. We must stop them and we need your help."

"Fuck off. After all I do for you people, all this time being nice and helping you, this is how you repay me. Bullshit, just fucken bullshit." Tak's view of the Na'vi had been ruined by one small incident. Tsuwokan could tell something obviously angered him and he had an idea as to what it was. He sighed.

"Zetey, she is not happy with you, yes I know… she does not understand what you try to do. She is still young and get angry easy. Please forgive her. But know we must go."

"Just fuck off."

Tsuwokan placed his hand on Tak's shoulder.

"Matsmukan, please" he said with a calm but begging voice. Tak wasn't in the mood to do anymore favors for the Na'vi, but something inside him didn't let him refuse. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"…Fine" he said. "Thank you." replied Tsuwokan. "Come, we must hurry" he said as he began to run back. Tak followed. They got on the direhorse and first rode back to home tree where Bakteyo and Aketuan were waiting for them with banshees. They got off and went to the secret stash of weapons. Tak took an automatic rifle and a pistol. He loaded the weapons and brought a few extra clips. They all hopped onto their banshees. Tak had never seen one so this was quite an experience. Tsuwokan signaled him to get on but as he approached the banshee snapped at him. Tsuwokan calmed it down and Tak got on. He held onto harnesses. They rode off to Swotulu. It was a rough ride but Tak managed to stay on the banshee. On the way he got an incredible view of the forest. From where the shacks were it seemed like the forest never ended but even from high up above it really seemed like it continued for ever. It was quite a lot for him to comprehend, here he was riding on a banshee while getting an amazing view of Pandora. They finally reached Swotulu, a heavily forested area well known for its sacred river. The water was beautiful, it was very clear and sparkled in the sunlight. The forest wasn't as open as the FEBA but it had natural passages that were like a network of roads. The few dirt roads were an indication that RDA had been through the area previously. They descended into the forest and landed somewhere near a mine. They hopped off their banshees and followed a path which ended with a fence up ahead. "Thank you for helping us" said Bakteyo, but Tak didn't reply. They crept to the fence which had a cut in it just big enough for Na'vi to crawl through. Tsuwokan explained to Tak what the plan was before heading out. Before he began, a large bulldozer roared past.

"We must destroy that machine. Skypeople have been here for a long time but they are close to destroying sacred place, many trees. We go to where skypeople control the machine and stop them."

Tsuwokan was the first to go. He checked to see if there were any troops in the area, then crawled through the fence and ran to the huge tree in front of them for cover. He signaled for the others to come and they did. Tak was the last to go. They made their ways from one tree to another, evading detection by RDA troops. They were now in the area close to the mine. Massive scars had been left in the ground from the heavy machinery used to excavate the land and transport the Unobtanium, but the forest was still very much alive with plants and animals still refusing to give up their habitat. Tak continued to look around the place feeling very exposed. This wasn't nothing like what he first thought of Swotulu, humans had bulldozed large sections of forest to create roads and now it was a very open space. It was hard to find a hiding spot, unless you were high up in the trees. They continued to move and stopped when the control tower was in sight.

"There, I think machine are controlled from there. You must destroy it." said Tsuwokan as he pointed to the building with his bow.

"We will help you get there, but you must go inside yourself."

"Yeah sure, just leave all the hard work for me to do." replied Tak sarcastically.

There were a few troops scattered around the place with three hanging around the base of the tower, sitting down on some large crates. Tsuwokan loaded an arrow onto his bow and took aim. He pulled back and has he slowly exhaled he released the arrow. It went flying and nailed his target to the tree he was leaning against. The other troops were alerted but they couldn't see the enemy. Tsuwokan loaded another arrow and fired, hitting his next victim in the stomach. "Go now!" he yelled, and Tak ran to the next tree for cover. The three Na'vi had now been spotted and they were under a heavy fire of bullets. Tak peered from cover and took aim. He opened fired, providing cover for his allies as they advanced closer to the tower. He still wasn't good with a rifle but he managed to hit one of the troops. Tsuwokan decided to split up with Bakteyo and Aketuan. As he ran to another tree he felt something sting his arm. He looked to see blood coming out, a bullet had skimmed his arm but it was nothing. Tak was waiting for the others to do something since he was stuck in his position. Bakteyo loaded an arrow and pulled back. He suddenly jumped out of cover and aimed at the first opponent he spotted. He immediately released the arrow and hit his opponent in the face. The arrow broke through the exopack and speared the Tawtute in his head, breaking through the skull. A lucky shot it was. They continued to fire arrows, patiently waiting for the right time to do so. Tak had another look to see if he was clear to make his way to the tower. The troops' attention seemed to be more drawn to his Na'vi allies so he ran from his position out into the open. He fired at the troops inaccurately and when he ran out of bullets he pulled out his pistol and shot one guy in the face. The other ran out of bullets and was reloading so Tak ran as fast as he could at the guy and kicked him to the ground. He quickly got back up and stomped his opponent in the stomach, causing the downed soldier to curl up in pain. Tak kicked the gun away from him and held it down with his foot. Wasting no time he silenced his enemy with a bullet to the side of the head. The blood splattered onto his exopack. Splashes of red now partially blocked his view but he continued to advance towards the control tower. Tsuwokan went to retrieve his arrows and so did the others while Tak laid down fire, holding off the enemies temporarily. A few more men came out of the door at the base of the tower. As Tak reloaded his rifle, the other three fired arrows. Tak looked at the dead bodies and found grenades attached to them. He took one.

"Where are they?" he yelled as the sound of gunshots filled the area. Tsuwokan's reply was a little delayed as he was a bit busy trying keep himself and the others alive.

"There."

"Near the crates?"

"…Yes, yes near the crates."

"Throw this at them. It shou- No not now you retard! After I pull the pin!"

Hiding behind a log, the two of them waited for a chance to attack. Tak had another look at the dead bodies.

"Hey, get him."

"He is dead."

"I can fucken see that! Just get him!"

Tsuwokan dragged the dead body towards him.

"Slowly raise it up. Slowly. Get the head to poke out."

As Tsuwokan slowly revealed the dead troop from behind the log, Tak looked at the head. When it was in sight, the troops opened fire. The head was ripped apart by the bullets and Tsuwokan was lightly sprayed with blood and glass. He dropped it and left it on the log. Tak poorly judged which direction the bullets came from and guessed his enemies position.

"They're probably over there." said Tak as he pointed to show Tsuwokan. He set the timer on the grenade and pulled the pin. He then handed it over to Tsuwokan.

"Throw it throw it throw it!"

Tsuwokan tossed it and a few seconds later a loud explosion went off. The sound of someone yelling out loud could be heard for a split second. They must have killed someone. With his rifle ready, Tak popped out from cover and had a quick look. He could hear people yelling to each other so he decided to go to them. Aiming his rifle, he slowly walked to them. He found one who had been blown away by the blast lying on the ground and killed him. Bakteyo and Aketuan joined Tak with their bows loaded, ready to fire. A troop managed to get back on his feet with his gun but Bakteyo had already spotted him and sliced his throat pen with a blade. Tak continued to look around the destroyed crates and found the last man. He slowly tried to stand up but Tak stepped on him, sending him back to the ground. He pulled out his pistol and emptied it into the back of his victim's head. The four of them had defeated everyone on the ground, and now it was time to take control of the bulldozers. He made his way up the stairs with his rifle aimed and ready to fire. As he approached the control room, he could hear someone calling for help on the communication device while others discussed in panic. There was at least one armed person who was telling everyone to calm down and get in a safe area. Tak quickly made his way as this may be a chance to kill him while he was distracted. And so he was. As he was ordering people to stay calm, Tak took advantage of this distraction and shot him in the chest. The people inside panicked. Tak quickly looked around to see only scared and shocked people. Without a thought, he killed everyone in the room except one man who was still sitting at the controls of one of the bulldozers. The screen was still on and the bulldozer was still operating. The man begged for his life but Tak wasn't going to let anyone live so he shot the man in the head, making it a quick death. He then pulled the dead man off who was slouched across the controls and sat in the chair. Grabbing the controls, he started to move the bulldozer. He followed the dirt road on the screen for many minutes while playing around with the other controls and working them out. He finally found the fence which surrounded the mine and followed that to a gate which was the entrance into the mining complex. He rammed the gate at full speed and destroyed it along with the turrets. He then headed for the AMP suits which were parked along a building and took them out one after another. He then reversed and turned around to head for the Samson that was on the helipad. He rammed the Samson and continued until it hit the fence. He reversed all the way and rammed it again. It damaged the fence and he gave it one last go. The fence broke and the Samson, along with the bulldozer, fell into the deep mine. The massive bulk of metal came crashing down and exploded on impact with the ground. Tak made his way back out.

"What's next?" asked Tak, seeming eager to finish the job.

"Now we must stop them from destroying village. Village is next to river, so we go there now."

They ran to the village as fast as they could, navigating through the thick forest. Everywhere they went there were vines hanging down from above with colourful plants exploding from everywhere. But there were no animals insight. They had all been scared off by the nearby fighting. Tsuwokan lead the group to the village but they seemed to have showed up a little late. There was already a group of Na'vi which had done the work for them. The village had been torched and the local tribe had suffered were casualties, but the RDA had clearly lost with even more loses. Dead bodies were scattered everywhere with two AMP suits downed and flaming. Tak looked around. The Na'vi were cheering loudly as they dismembered their human victims, stabbed them or smashed they faces with axes and clubs. The humans which were still alive were gathered and were executed slowly one by one. As Tak and the other witnessed the slaughter taking place, one of the Na'vi approached them. He made eye contact with Tsuwokan and smiled slightly then looked down to Tak. He began to speak in Na'vi.

"Do you speak our language?" he asked Tak.

"Yes."

"I hear good things about you tawtute…. I was very surprised to hear of you and what you did. Is it true? Did you really kill your own?"

"Yes."

"Show me, please."

The Na'vi man brought Tak over to a human whose hands had been tied together and was kneeling on the ground. Next to him was a machete.

"I must see for myself." said the Na'vi.

Tak picked up the machete and held it in both hands like a baseball bat. He brought the machete as far back as possible and with all his force, swung at the back of his helpless victim's neck. The machete penetrated the skin and dug deep into the flesh where it stopped at the spine. The man's scream of pain together with the surrounding Na'vis' cheers made a chaotic atmosphere which only drove Tak to take every swing with more hate, anger and enjoyment. He hacked at the flesh like he was chopping a tree. With every hack, blood flew onto his clothes. His arms were dripping with fresh blood. As he was about to take cut all the way through, he threw the machete away and ripped off the head with his bare hands, tearing apart the skin and flesh. The Na'vi cheered loudly and Tak dropped the head. Taking of a man's head with his very own human hands made him feel unstoppable. He felt like he could take on the whole RDA. He picked up the machete again and let out what intense aggressive energy still remained in him, hacking away at the decapitated corpse. The Na'vi man was impressed with what he saw and silenced everyone.

"Well done. I had my doubts but you have proven me wrong… I would like you to join me for a celebration with the rest of my people back at our home. Come in your dreamwalker. I hope to see you there." he said and he walked away. Tak remained silent as adrenaline rushed through his body but Tsuwokan snapped him out of it by placing his hand on Tak's shoulder.

"Tak. Tak. Tak! It is done… it is done."

Tak held onto the machete, his clothes and exopack covered in splatters and the smell of human blood. He walked over to the river which calmly flowed. He first washed his arms, getting rid of the blood, then washed his exopack. He then returned to Tsuwokan. "Let's go back" he said. It was a long flight back and by the time they reached the FEBA it was dark. Tak was tired and was starving. Before he returned to the shacks, Tsuwokan had a quick chat to him.

"The celebration will be tomorrow night. Please meet me at hometree when the day is gone and I will take you there."

Tak made his way silently back to the shacks and he went straight to his bed where his clothes were. He quickly got changed and threw his blood stained clothes into the washing machine. He pressed the buttons to start it up and then got food. He went to his desk and sat down, eating his dinner.

"Hey where have you been all day?" asked Dr. Eileen. Tak continued with his meal.

"You were gone for most of the day, I think you owe us an explanation."

Dr. Eileen was annoyed with his absence and Tak could notice this but he didn't care. He swallowed what was in his mouth and took a sip of water before answering.

"I just felt like staying outside."

"Alone? Until this late? You can't be serious!"

Tak didn't reply and this annoyed Dr. Eileen more.

"Ok look, I know you've been out into the forest on your own and I don't think that's the smartest thing to do, but I can see that you're able to keep yourself alive. That's why I let you go out there. But going out at night is just unacceptable. I'm not even going to explain why, I'm sure you know….. Just…..please don't ever do that again."

The next night Tak got ready to meet Tsuwokan. The Alpha Centuri A had departed the sky and it was now night time. Tak headed to the link and he was stopped on the way by Dr. Eileen.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Going out for a while."

"Tak, what did we talk about last night?"

"Can't you see I'm going in my Avatar?"

"Yeah, I can see that. But it doesn't make a difference. It's still dangerous even in your Avatar. Not even the Na'vi leave their homes when it's this dark."

"Yeah well a friend from hometree offered to show me around the forest at night time. No way I'm going to refuse that offer."

"Oh….. so, you solved your problems with-"

"Bye."

"Wait!... shit."

Dr. Eileen could have terminated the link but she didn't bother. Tak was now in his Avatar and ready to head off. the forest came to life as it put on its daily light show but Tak wasn't interested in looking. He wasted no time in meeting up with Tsuwokan, who led him to the place. Tak was curious as to who the Na'vi man he was confronted by was.

"So who was that guy yesterday?" he asked. Tsuwokan began to explain.

"I do not know his name, but I know him for long time. He was in another clan but he leave."

"Why?"

"…I cannot explain. But, he is different. He is not Na'vi."

"….What?"

No more words were spoken until they reached the home of their host. It was a small village with huts arranged around a central gathering place. In the middle there was a large wooden alter setup and people gathered around. Tsuwokan and Tak were approached by one of the clan members who told them to join the crowd. The Na'vi man then went to the alter and he silenced everyone. He then began to talk.

"My brothers and sisters, we are here today to celebrate another victory over the skypeople!"

The clan cheered ferociously, yelling out their war cries.

"Let us not forget that we are outcasts, individuals who have been banished from clans but have come together, and together we arise! We will show the skypeople, and the ones who threw us away, that we will live, the way we want to live! We will do what we want, when we want, how we want and no one will stop us!"

The crowd cheered again, this time even more louder. The atmosphere that was building up was too much to be contained within the area. Their cries could definitely be heard echoing though the forest.

"Today, we welcome a new brother. By flesh and blood, he is one of them. But by spirit, he is one of us."

The man then looked at Tak.

"We are not the same, but we believe in the same things. Together, we will kill the skypeople and take back what is ours. Come."

Tak walked up to the altar. The leader signaled some others, who left and returned with a live human who was breathing through an exopack. He was naked and had ropes tied around his arms. They threw the ropes over the alter and pulled the human up. Tak was face to face with the human. The leader then looked the human in the eye then turned to Tak.

"Eat him, and his powers will live within you."

Tak stared at the living sacrifice dead in the eyes who was trembling with fear. He then grabbed the tawtute by the head and shoulder and bit into the neck, tearing out a chunk of flesh. The tawtute screamed in pain but the Na'vi yelled in excitement. Tak chewed the flesh to mince and swallowed. The taste of blood and raw human flesh was horrid but he wasn't going to stop. He then tore up the arm, roughly stripping it of flesh and then the chest. Blood covered his face and dripped down from his chin. He tore open the chest and dug his fingers into the rib cage. He ripped off the rib cage with all his power to unveil the heart still beating. He wrapped his hand around the heart and pulled it out. As the heart beat in his hand, blood poured from the lifeless body. He looked at the heart for a short moment before tearing it apart with his teeth and consuming it. The clan leader watched as he laughed in astonishment. Tsuwokan was just shocked. Not wanting to be a part of what was going on for any longer, he turned around in disgust and walked away. Tak was now done consuming his victim and walked off to clean himself. When he returned to the shacks and woke up from the link he didn't know what to think. He had just eaten a human being. Although it was indirect, it was still cannibalism. But Tak didn't regret it. Feeling tired, he went to have a shower then brushed his teeth and went to sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Tak was devoting his time to the plants inside the shacks, analysing the chemical compositions of the plant's fluids. They had been showing consistent results that were looking good and it was only a matter of time before they would be ready to be exported back to earth for good use. As he sat in front of the plants and stared at them, Dr. Eileen moved next to him in her chair.

"You ok? Is something wrong? You haven't said anything today and you were quiet yesterday." she asked.

Tak continued to stare at the plants. He kept silent for a moment before answering as usual.

"No." he said with no emotion.

"You're not angry at me are you?"

"No."

"Well then, what's wrong?" There would be another moment of silence before her question would be answered.

"Don't you ever get sick of this?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Doing research, getting hassled by dickheads, being ordered to solve the problems of other people. Why do you do it?"

"Oh right, my job. Well because it's what I love to do. Sure, sometimes you have to deal with stuff but that's part of the job. And besides, we have an obligation to do whatever we can to help our planet. Our world gave many things to us so it's only fair that we give back."

"It's not like you're going back to that shithole so why bother?"

"Oh come on, really? I've got friends and family back there and if I can do anything to make their home a better place then I'm willing to do so. And so should you. You can't be mad at the world forever you know. If your life is fuelled by anger and hatred then it's going o drive you insane and eventually it'll consume you."

"...It already has" he muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Ok, well let's try and put a smile on that face."

Dr. Eileen returned to her desk and continued looking at photos of animals on her computer. Dr. Dale leaned towards her and began quietly talking to her.

"What's wrong with him this time?"

"Not much, he's just in a, you know, 'I hate the whole world' mood."

"Oh, nothing new."

"Yeah well, he has some issues. I just wish he would talk about them."

"Mmmm, I see. Oh, did you here? The Na'vi attacked one of the mines two days ago."

"What?"

"No really, they were going to clear out one of the nearby villages but the Na'vi fought back and they decided to also go for the mine."

"Oh god, things are getting really heated. This is so bad."

"Yeah but that's not all, the bodies at the control tower? They were shot dead. Na'vi don't use guns, nor could they fit inside the building. Hilton was right, someone's helping the Na'vi. Honestly, I really don't know if this is good or bad. I just don't know what to say."

It was a beautiful day and the sun was begging Tak to get outside. Sitting inside for half of the day was getting uncomfortable so Tak went outside for a quick walk. Since his partaking in attacking the mine all he could think of was killing people. He thought going for a relaxing walk through the forest would clear his mind but it didn't. The images from last night's brutality were trapped inside his head. For the meantime he just dealt with it, thinking nothing of it. He returned to the shacks and sat down. He didn't know what he wanted to do and the day was passing by. Dr. Eileen caught him sitting at his desk, looking like a corpse. She felt bad for him as he seemed like he lived life in infinite misery. Tak had returned to his old self, filled with negativity and remaining almost mute. Bad relations with some specific members of the Takahayo clan only made things worse. Tak needed to change his attitude in order to prevent this cycle from repeating itself. It was doing him no good. Dr. Eileen then decided to do something about it, and it would be the last time. She walked over to Tak who was staring at his desk which had nothing on it. "Obviously something's troubling you. Talk to me" she said.

"Nothing's troubling me, don't know why you think so."

"Well, what's on your mind?... It's ok, just let it out."

"Alright then... I probably told you that I never had any friends. Well, in high school there was this one guy. He had no friends either so I guess he thought he would try and hang around with me. I thought he was pretty fucken annoying, but now I realize he was just trying to be a friend. And here I am wondering what a dick I must've been to him... Just a random thought."

"You learn from your mistakes, and I'm sure he's forgiven you by now. And it's about time you forgave someone too, make things right again."

There was a silence amongst the two with the background noise of the others carrying on with their work. Tak hadn't felt regret and guilt like this ever in his life, and if he did he had certainly forgot about it.

"Come on, let's go" she said as she pulled his arm. He stayed seated so she pulled again and repeated herself. Without arguing, Tak got up and followed her to the links as if his lifeless body was being controlled by something. They got connected and woke up in their tents, sweating lightly from their foreheads due to the heat. Tak could still taste the human blood from consuming his live human victim last night. He walked outside and headed to the river to rinse his mouth. Dr. Eileen began to make her way to the usual place and Tak followed.

"Now listen, I've known the people for a long time now. They're forgiving people and you need to trust them. I remember the first few months I met the Na'vi. Things weren't great, they didn't trust me and I really felt like I was hated for no reason. But I didn't give up. I kept on offering my friendship and eventually they took it. You're at that point and you need to keep pushing, so don't give up. I know I've said this before but I mean it when I say this, there's so much to learn from these people. So when we get there can you please do something for me and for yourself? Just go and talk to Zetey, show her that you want to sort things out. She can teach and show you so many great things, and it would be foolish to pass up such an opportunity. So what about it?"

Tak didn't answer and continued to walk.

"Ok, well I know you heard me. Just think about it."

Tak was in no rush to go have a chat to the person he needed to go see so he walked into the base of the very large hometree. It was calm and quiet inside the massive wooden hall. He had never been to the other side of the base so he went back out to find that the other side was a river. The beautiful, clear water sparkled as the sunlight reflected of it. The river bed could be clearly seen covered in anemone and other types of plants. In the distance some of the clan members could be seen bathing while children splashed and swam. One of the roots of hometree grew back out of the ground and extended into the river, forming a natural pier. It was inviting so Tak walked to the end and sat down as he looked into the water to see his own reflection. As he watched the small ripples in the water, he felt his singlet being lightly pulled. He turned around to be greeted by his friend with a smile. At first he didn't care to see him but it eventually put a small smile on his face too. His friend was holding the creatures they had made with sticks from a while ago. Seeing this reminded Tak of the fun times they had together and it made him want to go back to those not too long ago days. So what was he waiting for? He stood up and began walking and his friend followed but as they reached the central spiral, they ran into Zetey who was coming down. She had just returned from hunting and still had her bow in her hand. Tak's inability to maintain eye contact annoyed her. She still saw him as a trouble maker and a bad influence to her people. Tak's friend was scared of the mean lady who had yelled at him before and his hiding behind Tak, clinging onto his khakis as he looked towards the ground. Tak didn't know what to do so he remained silent, not moving a single bit but Zetey's anger was only building up and she was getting restless. She couldn't contain it anymore and swung her bow to hit Tak across the face. "Who does this arrogant prick think he is?" she thought. She didn't want to be in his presence anymore and walked off furiously. The numbness started to retreat from the right side of Tak's face and pain kicked in. He was still as calm as a rock, feeling no anger or hatred. Just nothing. All of a sudden he didn't feel like spending time with his friend. He just wanted to go out for a long walk on his own. He decided to abandon his friend and leave the place to go for a long walk through the forest. Dr. Eileen was too busy teaching the kids more English to notice he had left. Tak decided to get lost, taking a random path but making sure he knew how to get back. He walked for minutes until his legs were became tired and he sat down. He thought back to the day he killed first since arriving on Pandora. Pulling the trigger and emptying the clip in his victim's face, feeling the skull crack under his foot. It was all still clear and satisfying to think of. As he remembered all the ways he had killed his victims, it hit him. All this time he had found out hardly anything about how to stop the RDA. And as he wasted time, the RDA were destroying more and more of this world. He was now seriously doubting himself, questioning if he could even manage to even put a dent in their operation. No one else was willing to do it and although he had Alan's help, Alan had done nothing so far. He had to finish what he started.

"No more fucking around. You will bring this greedy corporate abomination down, even if you go down with it. To live is to die. Get it done." He told himself. A sudden rush of determination flowed through his veins like a hit of adrenaline. He got up and looked around him, taking in the beauty all around. The thought of it all being gone one day was hard to imagine but it would happen if he didn't stop it. He returned to the shacks and went straight to Alan to have a discussion at the bunk beds.

"Alright, I'm fucken sick of this. We haven't done anything to stop those greedy bastards and we've been here for a number of weeks. You haven't done anything to prove yourself. You've just been sitting in here, chatting up that fucken woman and I'm out there doing everything, nearly getting killed. You haven't forgotten who's team you're on have you?" said Tak.

"Hey! You never ask for help! You're always going out on your own doing whatever the fuck it is you do and I'm here trying to explain to everyone why you're always gone for fucken half a day and trying to not make them too suspicious! What am I supposed to do?" replied Alan just quiet enough so the others wouldn't hear.

"The why don't you ever come along? I shouldn't have to ask you should I."

"...Alright, I will. Next time you go I'll come with you. And don't talk shit about her she's a nice person."

The next day, after Tak had finished his daily duties on the plants and going through some other stuff, he decided to go out for a while and Alan decided to come along as well. On their way to the FEBA base, Tak went over his rough plan on how they would tear apart the RDA one step at a time.

"We find someone, beat the shit out of them and ask them questions. If they don't give us the answers then we beat it out of them, then we kill them and get rid of them. No witnesses either. I don't care if they didn't do anything, we can't afford to take risks like that."

"Wow, how thoughtful of you. So what is it that we want to know?"

"A lot of stuff. I don't think taking out this base is going to do much, probably just annoy them. So we need to know how to access all sorts of places within the base and Hell's Gate, we need to know where certain things are kept, schedules and routines of military personnel, how to get past all the security systems and so on."

"You've upped the ante haven't you."

A long walk later they finally reached the base. They entered through the large gate and scanned the area.

"Who do you think would know most about the security of this place?" asked Tak.

"Probably just one of these regular jack offs patrolling the place."

"There's probably more of them inside, let's go."

They entered the main building and looked for people to interrogate. There were less people than they expected but continued to search every corridor. Coming across a map of the building they looked at some places where they could kill their victim. "There's the sanitation room. I'm sure it runs off into the river. We'll dump them there." said Tak. They continued their search and eventually found someone who had their back facing them.

"I'll see if I can get this douche to follow me. Wait for me at the sanitation room. You got your gun?"

"Yeah"

"Good, if I don't come after a long time then meet me back outside the base."

"Yeah ok."

The two split up, Alan went to the meeting place and Tak continued to follow his target. He was lead to the bathroom and entered, going into one of the toilet cubicles. The man finished and washed his hands. Tak exited the cubicle and walked towards the exit but on the way purposely bumped shoulders with the man which annoyed him.

"Hey come here you smart ass! Come back here!" said the angered man who was unaware of the brutality that was to follow. Tak kept his head down and lead his victim to the sanitation room. He opened the door and the smell of sewage filled his nose. He walked through and turned right. The man was now pissed off and mindlessly followed Tak to see him standing still. He then felt a gun pressed to the back of his head.

"What the fu-"

"Shut the fuck up and don't turn around" said Alan with the gun loaded, ready to pull the trigger. Alan took the man down some stairs and got him on his knees by the flowing water which went out to the river.

"Hands on your head. Try anything funny and I'll kill you. Don't look up or I'll fucking kill you! Eyes on the floor!"

Tak went down to where they were.

"What a dumb cunt. Maybe you should've just let it go, then you wouldn't be here now would you?" said Tak. "You're going to answer some questions."

"Go fuck yourself!"

"Ha, funny. But seriously, you will answer some questions."

"Oh yeah? And if I don't?"

"Hey, give me your knife." asked Tak. Alan pulled out his combat knife from the holster and tossed it over to him. Tak took the knife to the man's face and carved him half a new smile. The blade dug deep into the skin, starting from one side of the mouth and across the cheek. The man yelled in pain as the knife made its way up and across his face with blood dripping down from the cut. He took the knife and pressed it onto the other side.

"If you don't answer my questions then I'm going to finish that smile off for you and if you still don't answer my questions then I've got more planned for you. Your choice."

"Fuck you!"

"Ok then."

Tak dug deeper this time, coming close to slicing through the wall of the mouth. The yelling echoed through the large room but no one else was there to hear it. The man couldn't take it anymore and eventually gave up.

"Ash stop! Stop! I'll tell you whatever, just fucken stop!"

"How do you turn off the turrets around this place?"

"….Control room, you have to go there."

"Keep going."

"You have to access the weapons system but not everyone can do it. Only authorized people."

"And who would that be?"

"How the fuck should I know? I just do security!"

"Not good enough."

"Ok ok wait! I'm not sure but I think there's people who specifically do that sort of stuff. You'll probably need the password from them."

"And we can just walk in there?"

"Yes."

"No security cameras? No guards?"

"There's cameras. There maybe someone on duty but, I don't know. People around here don't follow the schedule."

"What schedule?"

"We all have our own shift of patrolling the place. I don't make the schedule. That's all done in the control room as well."

Tak nodded to Alan to signal that he was done. He wiped the knife on the man's shirt who's cheeks were covered in blood. There was a small puddle of blood on the floor and some on his shirt and pants. Alan got his hostage to stand up and walked him over to the flowing water. "Hey, what are you doing? What's going on?" he yelled as he watched the brown dirty water which drizzled from the pipe flow below him. Alan pressed the pistol hard against the back of the head and with no hesitation pulled the trigger. The dead body flopped over the metal railing and Alan dumped it into the water. He watched as it flowed down stream and once it was no longer in sight, he walked back to Tak. Tak looked at him to see his face emotionless as if he was still trying to comprehend what he had just done. They walked back up and checked for people through the small window in the door before exiting the room.

When they got back Alan was asked by Dr. Isaac where they went. Alan sat down and explained but with less enthusiasm. He was still trying to take in the fact that he had just murdered someone. Killing someone in war was very different to executing someone.

"You're a little quiet today, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing… just a bit tired."

She gave him a smile which he returned but had to force one. He was in the mood for a cheery discussion. Meanwhile Tak was sitting on his bed playing his guitar. He was in lazy mode and didn't feel like doing anymore work. He could have spent the rest of the day alone with his guitars but he was interrupted.

"You really love playing that thing don't you?" said Dr. Eileen as she leaned against the doorway. Tak kept going, no one interrupted him from playing the Master of Puppets solo. As Dr. Eileen listened to the clicking and clanging of Tak's unplugged solo she walked over and sat down next to him.

"You can play that after, we've got some stuff to do now." she said after Tak had done. Again, without resisting Tak got up and headed to the link for his daily meeting with the Takahayo. Tak's parents had sent him to see counsellors which he hated. Nothing was accomplished and his parent's never found out what was wrong with him. Dr. Eileen wanted to know the same as the mental health of her colleagues was important and so therapeutic sessions of socialising was probably a lot better than talking to some know it all jack off in a room for an hour. If she could get rid of his dull personality rather than find out the cause then even better. She had succeeded the first time but it went to shit and now she was back to the beginning. When they got outside, Dr. Eileen saw a bruise on Tak's face. Concerned about the purple mark on his right cheek, she asked what happened.

"Zetey hit me with her bow."

"Why?"

"I don't know.

"….You must be really pissed off."

"No."

"Really?... Alright, well let's get going."

Dr. Eileen managed to convince Tak to come and play games with the kids. Simple games like scissors paper rock and Simon says kept the kids going for hours. At first Tak just watched but he eventually got a little involved. He still lacked enthusiasm and was getting bored. The kids nagging him to play started to annoy him so he left to find some peace and quiet. He decided to return to the spot he found the previous day and sat down by the river. It was a cool afternoon and the breeze along with the beautiful sights of the area was very relaxing. Unexpectedly Zetey sat down next to him. Both their legs dangled over the water.

"I'm… sorry I hit you." she said. There was some remorse in the way she said it, and even more from the look on her face.

"I have short temper".

Tak said nothing and it made it more awkward for her to continue justifying her actions.

"Dr. Eileen is élan, so you should be élan as well."

She couldn't think of anything else to say so she decided to try her last chance at apologising. In her hand she held a beautiful blue flower with some purple, orange and fluoro green mixed into the petals. The style was a beautiful orange surrounded by lots of orange and green stamen. The stem was purple and covered in purple leaves with dark orange fury edges. It was very exotic and very beautiful. She held it out to him and he accepted it. Tak had a look at it while Zetey waited for him to say something.

"…..Thanks." he said softly. This was enough for Zetey to feel she had made things right. She let out a small smile and placed her hand on his shoulder to seal the deal. She then got up and left.

Later that night Tak was drawing pictures of creatures and plants he had seen so far on his time on Pandora. He did his best from what he could remember and when he drew all the things he could remember, he dropped his pencil and took a break. Everyone was chatting about what they disliked most about the RDA and how they ran things. There were many laughs but Tak couldn't care about what they were going on about. He then remembered about the plant he had received earlier in the day. He went outside and searched the pocket of his Avatar's khakis for the flower. In his Avatar hands it wasn't very big, but in his humans hand it was huge. He took it back inside and stood it up on his desk. As he began sketching it Dr. Eileen noticed the unusual plant on his desk and couldn't help but come over and have a closer look.

"Hey where did you get this?" she asked.

"I got it from Zetey." he said while concentrating on his sketch.

"Gosh I haven't seen one of these in a long time. It's called a fire weed, and they are really rare. It's given as a gift to a friend or loved one….. I think she wants to put whatever happened between you two behind her. I think you she-"

"Alright I get it."

Dr. Eileen laughed a bit as it was obvious that Tak was the type who didn't like to talk about his emotions. She left and came back with a beaker of nutritious jelly.

"Put it in this, it should keep it nice and fresh for a while."

"Well, it maybe beautiful but it's also dangerous. The leaves have some nasty chemicals so wash your hands after you're done with it."

"…..Really?"

"Yeah, it's unfortunate but there were some biologists years ago who were making drugs from the leaves and dealing them to people at Hell's Gate in exchange for stuff like alcohol and…. I don't know, just other stuff. Gave the botany department a really bad reputation…..Well I'll leave you. You've got to show me some of your drawings one day, they look really good."

The next day Dr. Eileen took Dr. Dale and Dr. Isaac out for some conservation work. While they were out counting the numbers of different species, Dr. Brent and Alan supervised them in their links. They were busy talking about their lives before coming to Pandora. Once again Tak was left on his own. He was really bored and was looking for something to do. Looking at the fire weed flower sitting in the beaker he then got a little curious, maybe a little too curious. Dr. Eileen should have kept her mouth shut but it was too late. Tak began to gather the necessary equipment and chemicals on his desk. He didn't know how those drugs were made, but he did know how cocaine was made. Who ever knew reading random articles on how cocaine was made would come in handy one day. After lots of crushing, adding chemicals, drying, heating, adding more chemicals and final drying it was done. Tak had never made drugs before so he was stoked. The chemicals used probably resulted in something nasty and impure but he wouldn't know unless he tried it. By now he was really questioning his actions. He had never done drugs and he never intended to but his curiosity insisted. He dumped some of the finished product into a Petri dish and used a scalpel to the stuff into lines. He then ripped off a piece of paper and rolled it into a tube. He leaned towards the dish but stopped before proceeding further and took one last moment to think about the consequences. His life wasn't that great, he had nothing to do all the time and it would be a waste not to try your own drugs, especially your first batch. With a strong snort, he did the first line and the drug kicked in very strong. At first there was a strong burn, and then his nose and throat went numb.

"This is fucken great."


	20. Chapter 20

Dr. Eileen was glad that Tak had decided to get back into the routine of going out with Zetey to do daily tasks. Experiencing the Na'vi lifestyle firsthand was a rare thing amongst Avatar drivers since not allot of them had gained the trust of the people like Dr. Eileen had. Everyday Tak would make his way to the village and he would either find Zetey and the two would go and collect food or Dr. Eileen would ask him to join her in playing games with the children. Tak would be shown different plants, learning about their uses. Whenever they saw a creature Zetey would stop to show him, sometimes even picking up insects to give him a closer look. However as weeks went by Tak seemed less interested and would easily lose focus. Zetey would have to occasionally pull him away from whatever he was staring at, which was nothing. He was irresponsive and almost like he was ignoring anything that was said to him. She wasn't the only one to notice this. Dr. Eileen also noticed a decline in Tak's productivity over the weeks. Everyday he would take long breaks spent on staring out the window or staring down at his desk. He had lost motivation to continue his work and was even barely doing the things he loved like playing his guitar or drawing in his sketch pad. But for Tak this wasn't evident, and even if it was he didn't care because all that mattered was that he had found an excellent way to relax and kill time. Taking down RDA was still on his mind, but it was always pushed to the back of his mind. "I'll get on with it, but after I get high" was what he would tell himself. The Pandoran plant was so strong that all he needed was one small hit a day and he would be in his own world free of troubles for most of the day, but it wasn't worth the bad things that were to come. Dr. Eileen noticed the fire weed flower was missing and she questioned him about it.

"Where's your flower?"

"I threw it out."

"Why?"

"It was taking up space on my desk, and I didn't want to keep it" he said, but the truth is he didn't want her to get suspicious over why all the leaves were missing from it.

As days past he felt like he was falling away from everyone, talking less to them and sometimes even ignoring them. Whenever he wasn't high, he felt like a pathetic piece of shit. Depression was kicking in and it was only a matter of time before the hallucinations began as well. Dr. Eileen was starting to get concerned but she wasn't sure if it was only her who noticed these things so she decided to find out. She went to the village one afternoon without Tak and asked Zetey about his unusual behaviour. This was to be a serious conversation so she spoke in Na'vi.

"How is he? Is he talking to you? Does he seem interested?" she asked in a normal tone.

"...He is quiet."

"Mmmmm, well that's nothing unusual, but does he seem less active? Does he ignore you sometimes?"

"Yes. Sometimes he looks at things and when I call him he does not respond."

"He does the same to us as well."

"I try to show him our world but he does not appreciate it. Why do I waste my time?"

"I know, but please do not be mad. Maybe-"

"What's wrong with him?"

"...I do not know, but I will find out."

That night after dinner Tak tried to get into a game of FPS but he just didn't feel like it. He stopped playing and looked over to the others chatting to each other. They were laughing and having a good time. He saw Alan talking to Dr. Isaac and they seemed happy, enjoying each other's company. Tak never cared for the two of them having formed a friendship, and maybe it was to become even more than that, but that night he had envied what they had. The depression had made him realize what he had been missing out on all these years and made him feel lonely and miserable. He wished he had someone that he could talk to, whether it be something or anything. No one noticed Tak at his desk, sitting alone with his head in his hand. He looked back to his game, he had been killed.

The next day Dr. Eileen finally decided to see what was wrong with Tak. She sat down next to him and began to explain some changes in him that she had noticed.

"You're not talking to anyone, sometimes you even ignore them. You're not doing as much work as you used to. You seem sad all the time Tak, what's wrong?"

"...Nothing, I'm just tired."

"But you hardly do anything. Are you feeling alright? You're not sick or anything?"

"No I'm fine, now go away."

Dr. Eileen sighed, something was wrong with him but she didn't know what. "You shouldn't push people away who care for you. One day you're going to be in trouble and they're not going to be there." She said before leaving him. She went to the links along with Dr. Brent and Dale. She didn't show anymore concern for him as she wasn't going to let his attitude ruin her good mood, she was going to a new research area afterall. Tak waited for her to be in her Avatar along with the others so that he wouldn't be disturbed. Alan and Dr. Isaac watched their colleagues in the links while they continued to learn more about each other. Tak was feeling bored as usual. With no motivation to do anything, he would get bored and resort to drugs, falling into this cycle. He took out the bag of drugs that he had been keeping in the metal frame that held wires the above, poured a little bit onto his desk and returned the bag back to where he had been hiding it. He rolled a piece of paper and sniffed it. It was strong and it burned. He sat in his seat for a while and stared at the ceiling as he became disorientated. His vision was distorted and it was getting more intense. Feeling thirsty, he got up and went to get a drink but collapsed after two steps. He hit the floor hard and rolled over onto his back. He felt a drop of liquid on his face and looked up to see the ceiling dripping with blood. He wiped his face as more blood dripped down onto him. Alan heard the sound of him crashing to the floor and came to see what it was. He spotted Tak flat on his back wiping his face.

"Hey, you ok? Hey? What's wrong? Why are you wiping your face? Tak, what's wrong? Stop, there's nothing on your face! What the fucks wrong with you?"

Alan helped him sit up. When Tak looked at Alan he was a bit shocked to see Alan's face ripped apart. Skin was hanging from his cheek and his eye sockets had been smashed in. His eye was missing and blood covered his face.

"Tak, what's wrong? Answer me!" he said, but Tak said nothing. He helped Tak back onto his seat and returned, not knowing what the fuck was up with him. Tak rested his head onto his arms and closed his eyes. He could still feel blood dripping onto the back of his head and neck. When Dr. Eileen got back she went to the lab shack to see Tak resting at his desk. She pulled on his shoulder to turn him around and face him. All Tak could see was the same thing, her face had been brutally beaten and she was unrecognisable but he couldn't look away. The look on his face showed something was obviously wrong with him. Tak turned away and went to lie on his bed. "I need to stop this" he told himself.

For the next week Tak tried to quit his habit. He tried hard to get a solid amount of work done but it was hard. He would lose focus easily and the urge to do some "stuff" would come and go. He needed to get outside to let his anxiety lose. Something then hit the window, he knew who it was. He went outside and into the direction of where the object came from.

"Fitseng." whispered Tsuwokan. Tak found him and got down to avoid detection.

"Irayo matsmukan, we need your help. Tawtute will destroy river close to here. We must stop them."

"Let's go." replied Tak. After weeks of doing nothing Tak would finally get to feed his hunger to kill. He went back inside the shacks and told Alan who was supervising with Dr. Isaac that he was going out for a walk. He went to his desk and stood on it, looking for the "stuff" in the usual hiding spot. He held it in his hand, contemplating whether he should or not. "...Just a bit" he thought and went ahead. He was fired up and in the mood to kill. He went back outside and joined Tsuwokan. They joined with the unknown Na'vi and his war party before making their way to the site. It turned out to be a waterfall and there was the construction of some sort of structure being undertaken, possibly a hydroelectric generator. Construction workers carried on with their jobs while armed guards patrolled the area. It wasn't heavily guarded so this wouldn't be too hard. The Na'vi got into position and waited for the right time to attack. Arrows were fired, taking out some of the guards and then the rest charged, firing arrows at anyone who they spotted. Tak wasted no time killing the construction workers, massacring them ruthlessly one by one. The drugs had made him feel more tense and it was like he was fighting for his life. His heart was beating very fast and was sweating allot. He ran across the metal frame that had been setup and jumped down onto the ground, shooting a guard in the leg. The guard fell to the ground in pain. By now all the other tawtute had been killed or fled the scene. They wouldn't make it back to safety, not on their own in this part of Pandora. Tak looked down at the man who was angry and confused as to why this human was helping the Na'vi. Tak's heart rate was faster than ever and he needed to calm down. He sat down and took deep breaths. He looked around, hallucinations playing tricks on him and making it seem as if the trees were monsters that had come to life. The water had blood in it and there were fishes with razor sharp spines on their bodies feeding on human corpses and floating organs, but none of this was real. Unaware that the man was reaching for his pistol he continued to stare at nothing. The man pulled out his pistol and took aim at Tak. He was about to shoot but a Na'vi came rushing over and butchered his hand off with a large blade. The man yelled in pain and it caught Tak's attention. He turned to see the man's hand on the ground holding a gun and blood poured from the site of amputation, then worms began to squirm out from the flesh. Tak stood up and went to have a closer look. The worms looked so real as they wriggled below him. As he got closer, tentacles burst out from the man's stomach and Tak flinched back. He grabbed the Na'vi's blade with both hands and swung at the tentacles as they reached out towards him but they kept on appearing. Suddenly a large worm like creature with sharp teeth burst through the tentacles and tried to bite him. The Na'vi watched in silence as Tak swung the blade at nothing. He sliced the creature in half and chopped the tentacles as they wriggled in the air. He then started hacking away at the man who had turned into an infestation of worms, sending the large blade crushing down onto his stomach and ribs. The man yelled as he was being brutally murdered. His clothes were shredded together with his skin and blood soaked his body. Tak continued until nothing was moving. He then stabbed the blade many times to make sure of it. The body was a mess with lifeless tentacles hanging out from the abdomen, soaked in blood. Tak dropped the blade and went to clean his hands in the water. He then took a deep breath and removed his exopack to wash his face and cool himself down. He wiped his face with his shirt and put his exopack back on. "What the fuck's wrong with me" he said to himself. When he got back he went to his desk and rested, placing his head on his arms. He felt very tired and felt like he was being pulled to the ground. He had no energy in his legs and he was falling asleep, his vision fading in and out of black.

A few hours later he woke up with his head still resting on his arms. He could hear the others talking as he slowly opened his eyes. He looked up from the floor to the view outside to see the forest beginning to light up for the night.

"Look who's awake!" said Dr. Eileen.

"Hey Tak you want to join us?"

"We got beers." said Dr. Brent as if he was trying to tempt Tak to come over. Tak rubbed his eyes and yawned before replying.

"Uuuuuhhhh….. uhhh, yeah ok."

He moved over to join them in his chair and sat back in it, still feeling tired.

"So we've been talking about going to this huge party next week. You coming?"

"…..there's a party?" asked Tak as this seemed hard to imagine. People have enough time to waste?

"Yeah, there's always one every year. And it's ALWAYS lots of fun. You'll regret not going."

"...uh, don't know. I'll probably just stay here."

Everyone exclaimed in extreme disapproval, Tak was such a downer. "Uhhhhh!" No you have to come!" said Dr. Eileen. She wasn't giving him a choice. Tak was still a bit tired and didn't mean to intentionally provoke such a response but he really wasn't interested. Dr. Dale tried to convince him.

"You know every year there's always people like you, they say they're not interested but you know they always end up going. And they ALWAYS have heaps of fun. It's the only day when you can forget about work and just live it up. You know, get drunk, get crazy, maybe get...laid if you're lucky."

The others laughed. "So, change your mind?" asked Dr. Eileen. "Ehh, might as well just go to get pissed." replied Tak. Everyone cheered. This was the Tak that everyone wanted to see.

"Alright then! But until then I want you to work hard, you've been getting a bit lazy these lately." said Dr. Eileen.

For the next week Tak got on with his work but still wasn't working at the pace that Dr. Eileen had expected him to. He was still slow and seemed to get side tracked by whatever was outside his window. When he was in his Avatar he wasn't much different, but getting outside seemed to make him more active. One day Zetey took him to collect some fruits. She climbed the tree and expected him to follow but instead he stood there. She jumped down and finally decided to find out what was wrong with him.

"You do nothing now. What's wrong?" she asked. Tak sighed before answering.

"I don't know." he said seeming depressed.

"Are you still angry, at me?"

"No..."

"Why you are not happy? Is it my fault?"

Tak shook his head. He was leaning against a tree with his back to the trunk. He then sunk to the ground and sat down then placed his head in his hands. He took a deep breath and thought about how he had destroyed his own life. The only small amount of happiness he had within the past weeks were now gone because of his actions and now he was facing the consequences. Back on earth only hopeless losers who had no future would destroy themselves with drugs, and now he had become one of those people which he thought were worthless pieces of shit. He was the one who got himself into this so he would have to be the one to get himself out of it. There was no easy way out. Zetey sat down beside him.

"Say something." she said with a soft voice.

"...My curiosity got the better of me, so here I am, feeling like absolute shit. I didn't think it would have such an effect on me."

Zetey had no idea what he was going on about but he probably didn't want to talk about it so she decided not to go further. She placed her hand on his shoulder as a sign of comfort but it didn't help. After waking up in his link Tak went to the bathroom to wash his face. It was a warm afternoon and the heat inside the link had built up. He washed his face and then looked into the mirror. He hated what he saw. Anger built up inside and he wanted to punch the mirror but he didn't even bother. He looked down to see water from his face dripping down into the sink. This was going to end.

The day had finally arrived. A Samson had arrived in the morning to pick them up from the shacks and take them to Hell's Gate. Earlier Dr. Eileen had uploaded all the secret information that she and Tak had been keeping a secret onto a portable device. Everyone was heading outside and onto the Samson but Tak had to do something before he left as this was the only time to do so. "Just go first, I'll be out soon." he said to Alan. He then returned to his desk and pulled his chair out and stood on it to get the drugs from where he had been hiding them. He then took the stuff to the bathroom, emptied the bag into the toilet and flushed it. Hopefully this would be the end of a short but dark chapter of his life. He then made his way to the Samson and joined the others. A few hours later they arrived at Hell's Gate and entered the main building. Everyone took off but Dr. Eileen needed to inform Tak of her plans.

"Ah Tak, wait. I need to talk to you... So I thought it would be a good idea to let Dr. Augustine into our little circle, you know, about the secrets we uncovered. If there's anyone else we can trust it's her. Just thought I'd let you know."

"Alright... so what do I do now?"

"Just hang around somewhere."

"And do what?"

"I don't know, you're a big boy now. You can take care of yourself. Well, I'll see you later."

Dr. Eileen walked off to leave Tak by himself. Great, now what? There was nothing to do at Hell's Gate, nor was there anyone to go and see. Tak decided to go for a walk outside and get some sunshine. Hell's gate certainly was a shit hole but the surrounding mountains covered in green sure were beautiful, not to mention the blue sky. As he looked around to see all the activity going on he saw people just going on with their daily jobs, not even stopping for a second to see what beauty they were surrounded by. Skypeople who did not see, nothing new. He continued to aimlessly walk around the massive complex and eventually made his way into the armour bay. Inside is where all the machines were kept. AMP suits, helicopters and land vehicles filled the place as they were being serviced. Sounds of heavy machinery operating echoed and everywhere he looked troops and technicians were busy fixing or carrying something. He stopped to watch a group of men work on an AMP suit. The 4m tall machine was an impressive piece of equipment but it wasn't intimidating, not after he had destroyed a few. He walked over to it to get a closer look but he was noticed by a troop who jumped down in front of him.

"Hey! Is there a problem?"

"No."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?"

"Just having a look at you guys fix this thing."

"Really? Well why don't you fuck off. This place isn't for scientist faggots like you. Get back to the lab." Tak obviously didn't belong here since he wasn't wearing any camo or a technician's suit and his ID tag clearly told others that he was a scientist. Tak gave a smart ass smile and walked off. He then had a look at a Scorpion gunship being loaded with ammo. It was overkill for just dealing with Ikrans and possibly the Na'vi as well. Perhaps it was to be used for something else? As Tak watched the gunship being fitted with missiles and a chain of bullets, a technician noticed him.

"You wouldn't wanna be one of those Banshees, this'll rip you apart."

"You guys don't fuck around. This is some serious fire power."

"Yeah well just making sure the job gets done properly next week."

"What's on next week?"

"Ah nothing really, just gotta clear out a village. Damn natives are sitting on top of a new mining site not too far from here. Somewhere in the mountains."

"When?"

"I think they said five days from today, anyway when the time comes these things will be ready to bring the pain."

A lucky tip off and just in time for him to get prepared to possibly stop the attack. Tak didn't want to get too suspicious so he decided to ask no more questions.

"Show those blue bastards who's boss." he said while faking a bit of a smile. He then left the armour bay and continued to walk around Hell's Gate.

The sun departed and night finally arrived. After the evening meal people began to make their way to the armour bay. Vehicles had been moved outside to make space for where the annual party was going to be held. There was a small stage setup which had a computer hooked up to speakers and on the other side were boxes of beer and many bottles of other types of alcohol. People began to fill the area and once the music started the place came to life. Everywhere there were people talking or dancing with each other with drinks in their hands. This was the only occasion when the scientists and the troops got along, mainly because they would be too drunk to even show hatred towards each other, but also because it was the only occasion where everyone could take time off from work and have fun so for the sake of making it a great night everyone got along, well nearly everyone. About an hour into the party and a fair amount of people were already shitfaced. The gang were standing together chatting and having a great time. Dr. Brent and Dale had their girls with them and Dr. Eileen had a few of her friends with her. Meanwhile Tak sat down away from the fun and drank beer alone. He was on his fourth can and he was just getting started. Alan spotted him sitting all alone.

"Hey, look who I found." said Alan as he pointed towards Tak.

"Oh my god that is the saddest thing I have ever seen." said Dr. Brent.

"Get him over here!" said. Dr. Dale.

Alan called Tak but he couldn't hear him so Dr. Eileen went over and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him up and brought him over to the others. She introduced him to her colleagues and they resumed chatting amongst each other but Tak very quickly went back to being unnoticed. He finished his beer and used it as an opportunity to break away from everyone else. "Need to get another drink, be right back." As he went to get another drink he looked around to see people dancing to the music while others talked to each other in groups. There was a drinking competition between some idiot macho troops. A few people were completely hammered, unable to coordinate themselves properly. It was like the typical club back on earth, but a lot bigger. Tak got a beer and slowly made his way back. A little while longer they wanted to go dance but Tak decided to stay so he watched as everyone went onto the dance floor. The playlist contained a lot of classics from the 20th century and many people knew them as they sang along to the choruses. Suddenly a song came on which Alan and Dr. Isaac knew instantly and both could tell from the look on each others' faces.

"You know this song?" asked Alan.

"Do I know this song? I love this song!" replied Dr. Isaac.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulder while he held onto her hips and they let the music take control of their bodies. Both knew how this night would end but they didn't rush it and sang along.

"How do you want it? How do you feel? Comin up as a nigga in the cash game livin in the fast lane I'm for real!"

Dr. Isaac didn't want to wait any longer and before the song ended she grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the dance floor. The two of them made their way to the back of the armour bay without anyone noticing and found a spot which they thought no one would bother them. Wasting no time they got straight to it, kissing each other vigorously while taking of their tops off. He backed her up into an ammo crate and she sat down, giving him that "you know what to do" look. He unhooked her bra and threw it away, then unzipped her jeans. He paused for a moment to catch her smiling at him and he returned the smile to which she laughed with happiness and Alan kept going. He pulled her jeans down from her thighs and then undid his belt before lowering his trousers. Alan took a moment to stare at Dr. Isaacs beautiful bluey grey eyes and so she did the rest, taking of her underwear, then his. She pulled him towards her by the back of his neck and they kissed before Alan entered her. She moaned for a while as they got it on but it didn't take long before she started to yell out in pleasure. Meanwhile Dr. Eileen had decided to take a rest and sit down next to Tak for a while.

"Where's Aland and Lynda? I didn't see them on the dance floor." she said.

"I don't know." replied Tak

"They must've Ieft. I wonder what they're up to right now."

"Geez don't act dumb. You know it, I know it. They're probably somewhere fucking."

"Awwwww you jealous?"

"...You serious? Fuck no. Besides I don't like her."

"Why?"

"She's always staring at me like she's got a problem with me. If she does then she should just fucken say it to my face."

"Oh don't worry she doesn't hate you. No one does."

There was a moment of silence before Dr. Eileen got up.

"I'll be right back, just going to the bathroom."

As she made her way, a man followed her from behind and Tak noticed. He kept his eyes on the man and saw that he followed her to the corridor which lead to the bathroom. This wasn't good. He quickly got onto his feet and went after the man but getting through the sea of people slowed him down greatly. When Dr. Eileen exited the bathroom she was confronted by the man who seemed to be waiting outside.

"Hey hey hey wait up, where you going?" he said in a calm voice.

"Uh, just back out there." she said seeming a bit nervous.

"Really? Why not come with me? Come on we'll go somewhere quiet away from here."

"No thanks."

"No really come on, it'll be better."

"Look I said no ok. I'm just goi-"

"Hey hey hey don't go. I'm not done talking yet."

"Move asshole!" She tried to push him out of the way but he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back so she kicked him in the shin.

"Ah! Fucken bitch!" he yelled as he smacked her across the face. By now Tak was making his way down the corridor towards them and when the man heard his footsteps and turned around Tak dropped him with a fist to the chin. He then grabbed the man by the collar and beat the shit out of him. The man tried to cover his face but Tak just stepped on his arms and continued. Blood was pouring from the man's nose and his cheek and eye was turning red.

"Tak stop! Stop! Tak that's enough! Stop!" yelled Dr. Eileen as she tried to pull him away. Tak gave a few last punches and finally stopped. He let go and the man's head fell to the floor. He wasn't moving at all but was breathing heavily, sounding like the breaths of a dying man. Tak looked at the piece of shit as he lay on the ground then stepped on his face. "Come on, let's go." said Dr. Eileen. They returned and sat back down inside the side doorway of a Samson.

"Thanks for the help." she said.

"It's ok."

"How did you know?"

"I saw him follow you to the bathroom."

"Really? Fucken creep... Do you think he's dead?"

"Hopefully."

"Oh shit, what if he is..."

Tak left and came back with two bottles of vodka and handed one to Dr. Eileen.

"Well, it's been great having you on my research. You get work done, and you've even managed to start a bond with the people. I'm really happy for you Tak." They clanged their bottles together and took a long sip. A long while later Alan and Dr. Isaac returned holding hands. By now Dr. Eileen was wasted.

"Heeeeey where have you two been?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"Uhhh, we've been here."

"Don't bullshit me, I know EXACTLY what you were up to, Lynda."

"Oh really..."

"YES, I do and so does he!" she said pointing to Tak.

"...Shut up Gillian, you're drunk." said Alan. Him and Dr. Isaac just laughed while Dr. Eileen continue to babble on about something.

The party eventually ended and people made their way back to the living quarters. People were still in party mode and were yelling as they did their best to get themselves to where they were going while bumping into each other. Tak managed to walk in a straight line but Dr. Eileen needed some help. Her colleagues decided to take her to her bed and Tak went to his. It was still in the state that he left it in before leaving for the FEBA, unmade and messy. He kicked off his shoes and dropped to the mattress, planting the side of his face into the pillow before adjusting himself comfortably onto his back. A feeling of separation kicked in as he laid on his bed. "I wish I was out there right now."

Daylight shined into the large room, casting a golden glow onto the hungover people. When Tak woke up other people were already awake or were beginning to. He put on his shoes and went to the dining hall for breakfast. A big night of drinking always left him starving the next morning. He joined the others who were all sitting at the same table retelling the events of last night but Tak kept quiet as usual. After breakfast they went to their ride which took them back to the FEBA. When they got back in the shacks they took turns going to the bathroom for showers and brushing their teeth.

"So what did Dr. Augustine have to say about what you showed her?" asked Tak to Dr. Eileen.

"She was surprised, it was quite allot for her to take in but she eventually got the big picture. She said she would go through it with her team of people that she trusts the most."

"Good, now you should delete everything on that portable device just to be safe."

"Yeah good idea."

Dr. Eileen reached into her pocket but there was nothing. She reached into her other pocket and there was nothing. She checked her back pocket and the pockets of her lab coat. "Oh shit."


	21. Chapter 21

Dr. Eileen had been stressing out the whole day. She had contacted Dr. Augustine multiple times but there was no luck, all that information was out there waiting to be picked up by someone. If the RDA were to find out then they would most likely take over the science department and use them to develop the many possible biochemical weapons. That night she sat down with Tak and tried to remember the last place she had it with her.

"I had it with me when I met Dr. Augustine, I plugged it into her computer, I took it with me when I went to get lunch, returned to the lab and plugged it in again. She was with me the whole time. I even took it with me before leaving for the day."

"What about during the night, did you have it on you?"

"Of course I did! I had it in my pocket... well, I think I did."

"You think."

"What if it fell out during the night. Remember that guy who harassed me? You think it could have fallen from my pocket during then?"

"Probably not, he didn't handle you too rough... but you were pretty shit faced later one. You were lying inside the Samson while talking gibberish."

"I was talking gibberish? I don't remember that part. You think it's inside one of the Samsons?"

"Maybe."

Dr. Eileen buried her face into her hands and sighed. She had fucked up big time.

"There's nothing we can do now, let's just hope no one finds it."

By the next morning everyone had fully recovered from all the drinking they had done two days ago. As Tak was working on his computer he saw in the corner of his eye Alan walk past. "Come here." he said. Alan walked over, obviously in a great mood.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Tak.

"Nothing, just in a good mood."

"Anyway, I was walking around the armour bay and I was talking to someone, he told me about an attack on one of the tribes in the hills near Hell's Gate. He said in five days, that was two days ago so we've got three more days to prepare. This is going to a tough one. They plan to clear the area for a new mining site."

"Damn, what are they bringing?"

"At least one scorpion, maybe two. Definitely some guys, I'd say AMPs as well. I don't know the area but I'm sure of we can get a good vantage point we could take out the Scorpions. The rest shouldn't be too hard. Any ideas?"

"Hmmmm... When I was back on earth we took out aircraft with rocket launchers."

"We don't have fucking rocket launchers, think dumbass."

"Well, sometimes the snipers would pick them off from distances but we don't have a sniper rifle. And I'm no sharp shooter either."

"Well you're going to have to become one. We need to get a sniper rifle."

"Easier said than done."

Tak saved his work and the two decided to head out for a while. Nothing suspicious, just the two going for their usual jog. They went to the FEBA base and headed to the armoury. Luckily, it was the same guy on duty as last time. Alan did the talking and convinced him to let them through like last time.

"Hey you again. Watsup?"

"Hey you! You kill anything lately?"

"Oh yeah, last week I got me a nice sized direhorse. Shot that fucker in the head, went straight down."

"Nice! So I guess you need something else today?"

"Yeah, going to hunt some of them Banshees. Gonna need something with alot of power"

"Damn, you're stepping your game up huh?"

"Hey, go big or go home."

"Damn right. But doesn't he care?

"Who him? No he doesn't know. He works with plants so while he's doing his thing I just go and hunt. Besides even if he had something to say to me he wouldn't, he's a little bitch."

"Aren't they all, pussy ass scientists. You go and take whatever you need."

Before Alan went in Tak asked him for a big weapon for him to use as an Avatar. Alan went in and after many minutes he came out holding a massive rifle. The barrel was half the whole length and the scope was big as well. The clip was a solid rectangular box obviously holding huge bullets. By the looks of it this thing could penetrate tank armour. He put it on the ground and went back in, coming out with an MBS-9M 50 cal Hydra.

"Is it ok if I take this as well?" asked Alan to the man behind the counter.

"Dude, take whatever you need. Everyone else does so why not you. Don't know how you're gonna carry it though."

"Nice, thanks heaps bro."

"Don't mention it."

They walked back to hometree to secretly stash their new toys. They were so big that they had to disassembled so they would fit inside. As they were about to return to the shacks they heard people approaching. Peeking from behind plants Tak saw a few tall blue figures approaching. Their voices were getting louder as well.

"Get back."

Dr. Eileen, Dr. Brent and Dr. Dale were walking in their Avatars heading towards the village. Tak and Alan retreated deep into the growth and waited for them to pass before making their way back.

They reached the shacks and entered to see Dr. Isaac sitting by the links supervising. "I better get back to work." said Tak. "Have fun." said Alan as he watched Tak walk back to his desk. He waited for him to turn around the doorway of the other shack before turning to Dr. Isaac who looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a smile. Tak was at his desk in front of the screen looking at graphs. 20 minutes into his work he began to lose focus so he decided to fire up the 3D map program which had all explored areas of Pandora loaded to get a view of the area he would be fighting in a few days. There were a few valleys around Hell's Gate but only one of them had a river running through it. "Must be in here" he said to himself. He followed the valley as it slalomed through the landscape, looking like a snake slithering through the hills. If this were the place, the winding valley would prevent them from targeting the scorpions from a distance. He stared at what was on the screen as he thought hard, trying to come up with a plan. He knew nothing about military tactics and he had a feeling that his usual "face the enemy and take them out" approach wouldn't work. Alan would know more than him about this kind of stuff so he went to see him. He went to the links but stopped when he heard soft moaning. He saw a lab coat on the floor and leaned a bit to the side to see a shirt also on the floor. He closed his eyes and sighed while walking back to his desk, deciding to let them finish and save them from an awkward moment. This was bound to happen and he wouldn't have a problem with it if it didn't interfere with "the plan". He let them off the hook this time but next time he wouldn't be so patient. Sitting back down in his chair he blasted some death metal through the speakers while carrying on with his work. Half an hour later he decided to return. There they were, all dressed and sitting by the links like nothing had happened. Tak stepped into the room.

"What is it with you and that music you play, geez." said Dr. Isaac, coming at him a bit hostile.

"I'm sorry. Next time I'll play something more romantic, I'm sure you'd like that alot." he responded. Dr. Isaac had no come back.

"I need to show you something." said Tak to Alan. They returned to the desk and Tak showed Alan the map of the area.

"There are a few valleys within the area but I'm guessing the village is most likely in this one since it's the only one with a water supply. And since Hell's Gate is over here, I'm guessing they're going to come from this direction. This place is pretty thick with forest so they'll probably clear a path with dozers and the troops will escort them in, possibly along with AMPs. Your thoughts?"

"...I'll camp high in the hills and do my best to pick them off but these valleys don't give a good view. The natives are good at blending in with the environment so guerrilla tactics seems like a good way to go. We need to take them by surprise but it won't be easy with the numbers we have."

"Don't worry about numbers, we've got more guys than you think."

That night Tak thought he would get a good night sleep since he worked his ass off the whole afternoon and also into the night. After his shower he went to bed and closed his eyes, soon falling asleep. But then his eyes opened and all he could see was dead bodies everywhere. His feet were buried in decomposing flesh and gooey remains which hung on to skeletons. He looked around but the dead human collection seemed to go on forever. As he moved around the corpses slowly got pushed out of the way. Suddenly a hand grabbed him by the ankle and he tripped. He fell into the pit of carrion and was sinking deeper. He struggled to keep above the surface but the corpses were pulling him down as they came back to life. Soon he was submerged in boiling flesh, the pressure and heat suffocating him. He couldn't breathe and was running out of breath quick. Just when he thought he was going suffocate he woke up. He gasped for air, his heart racing and sweating slightly from his face, neck and back. After realizing where he was, he took a few deep breaths and collapsed back into his pillow. He had quit the drugs, but the insanity still remained.

The next day Tak went to hometree and wasted no time in finding Tsuwokan. They went to the centre of hometree and sat down on the central spiral.

"This is very important so listen carefully, do you know a Na'vi village near Hell's Gate? Do you even know where Hell's Gate is?" he asked.

"Yes, I know."

"Is that the ONLY village there?"

"Yes."

"Well the skypeople are going to destroy the village in two days so we need to gather as many warriors as we can and go there and stop that from happening."

"...How do you know?"

"Because someone told me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, and you need to be ready by then. Two days ok? Two days. I suggest you go tell that friend of yours, we need his help."

"Why do your people attack us? We do nothing!"

"Because that's what humans do. They see something they want and they go and get it. It doesn't matter how it's done, as long as they get it then it's all ok. You've seen all those big fucken holes in the ground haven't you? Why you so surprised, you should know us by now."

Tsuwokan snarled in anger. He then got up.

"I will tell him."

"Good, and I'm bringing someone with me. He'll be alot of help."

"...A skyperson?"

"Yeah, got a problem?"

"Do as you wish."

"I'll meet you outside the village two days from now, early in the morning. We should get there as soon as possible and warn the village."

"Yes, be here when sun rise."

Tsuwokan walked off. As he exited hometree he ran into Dr. Eileen. They exchanged slight smiles before she came in and spotted Tak sitting down.

"You two seem to be getting along fine, anything interesting happen lately?"

"Uhhh, yeah actually. Tsuwokan asked me what I do, and I briefly told him about my work as a biologist. I told him about my work with the Pandoran plants and he said there's a place I might be interested in so he's offered to take me there."

"Hey that's excellent. Wow, that's really nice. I told you there's alot to learn from these people. That's really good. So when's this happening?"

"Two days from today. Yeah, he told me to meet him early in the morning. It takes a while to get there and I want to be back before it gets too dark."

"Well looks like you'll have to wake up early."

"Yeah I guess so."

During dinner Dr. Eileen announced to everyone that Tak was going on a special field trip soon. He preferred if she didn't but it was too late. Alan wanted to know more about this field trip.

"So, where are you going?"

"Just, to some place where there's some exotic plants."

"Oh cool, when's this?"

"In two days."

"Two days... sounds fun... Maybe I could go as well?"

Dr. Eileen interrupted. "No Alan I don't think that's going to be possible. The Na'vi really don't like humans."

"But he's going, and he's a human."

"Yeah but it's...it's different."

"But I think this would be great, it's better than staying inside here all day."

Tak backed him up. "I think you would enjoy it alot."

Dr. Eileen thought differently "No this really isn't a good idea. Who knows how they'll react to a human. It could all go ve-"

"No no it'll be good. It's about time they saw that not all skypeople are douchebags. Besides I need someone to help me with taking pictures and samples and shit. Alan's the perfect candidate."

Dr. Eileen sighed and sat back in her seat. "...Alright. But you are to be extra careful not to get yourself in any danger. And I really don't know how they're going to react to seeing you."

"They're not going to kill me, it's not like they haven't met any of the scientists in their human forms. And what about you, haven't you ever showed your true self to them?"

"...No I haven't..."

The day finally came. Tak woke up extra early and went to have a morning shower followed by breakfast. He went to his computer and turned it on. Alan was already up sitting next to Dr. Isaac at her desk, talking to each other while listening to her morning playlist from her computer.

"What the fuck is that shit?" asked Tak.

"It's called Indie rock you dick, if you opened up that narrow mind of yours you may come to like it." replied Dr. Isaac.

He played a song from his music folder and the look on Dr. Isaac's face was one of disgust.

"And what the hell is that?" she asked.

"Death metal, if you opened up that narrow mind of yours you may come to like it."

Dr. Isaac looked away. "Asshole." she said, but Tak couldn't hear her over the lovely sound of growls, distorted guitars and blasting drums. It was the perfect way to start the day and get into the right mood for what was to come.

After finishing his cereal and brushing his teeth, Tak got into his Avatar and met up with Alan outside. He packed his back pack with the necessary equipment for his "field trip" and they made their way. Tsuwokan was waiting for them. He saw Alan and stared at him for a while before for nodding his head as a sign of acceptance. Alan hesitantly nodded back.

"Let's get our shit and go." said Tak. He rubbed some dirt on his face and put on his mask, hiding his identity. They got their weapons, assembled them and the group made their way to the Ikrans that awaited them. Alan got a chill down his spine at first sight of the Ikrans but wasn't too intimidated. Aketuan also stared at Alan for a while, then looked to Tsuwokan who signalled "it's ok, he's with us" and then Aketuan told Alan to get on. He was greeted with a nice hiss by the Ikran to which he jerked back. "It happened to me too the first time but he'll start to like you eventually." said Tak. Alan slowly stepped onto the Ikran's back and sat down with the rifle strapped around him. He held onto the straps that were specially tied for him. Tak rode with Tsuwokan.

"You sure he can carry us both?" he asked.

"Hehehe, he is strong. Maktoko!"

The two Ikrans took off with full power, flapping their wings as they gained altitude. Once they were high in the sky it was a calm ride. It was a beautiful sunny day with no clouds blocking the light. They flew over the never ending forest, making their way over hills, rivers, waterfalls and through a network of floating mountains that were tied together with vines. It was a magnificent view but this was no time for sightseeing, maybe another time. They reached the beginning of valley and followed it. In the distance they could see Hell's Gate, a small grey pentagon which stood out from the surrounding green, and even further one of the mines which was just a massive brown hole in the ground. They descended into the valley and flew over the river.

"How much longer?" asked Tak.

"We are here" replied Tsuwokan.

"Don't land, take us up into the hills. Over there"

"Why?"

"Just do it, I'll explain once we land."

Tsuwokan signalled Aketuan to follow him and they changed course. They slowly came into the forest and landed. Tak and Alan got off. "They're going to bring gunships so he's going to try and shoot them down before they reach us. You just get your guys into position and be ready." He explained to Tsuwokan. He then went to Alan and briefly went over the plan.

"You shoot them down and you get back to us, the village isn't too far, just follow the valley or go to the fight. You'll find us there. Good luck"

"Yeah you too."

Tak then got back on the Ikran and they went to the village. When they got there Tsuwokan's allies were already waiting. They greeted each other and the nameless Na'vi leader began to get everyone fired up for war. They held their weapons high and let out their war cry before moving out. Meanwhile Alan had found a small rocky ledge which was perfectly covered with plants. He lied down with his rifle ready, making sure the barrel didn't poke out from cover. The war party also got into position, lining themselves along the valley in small groups. Some decided to wait high in the tree while others blended in with the plants on the ground. Tak was kneeling behind a huge tree root, holding his huge 50 cal Hydra with the chains of bullets wrapped around his chest. They all waited for over an hour until they heard a faint sound. It sounded like rotors but it was impossible to see through the canopy. Alan had been sitting on the ledge, extremely bored and was beginning to doubt if they would show up but he heard the sound as well and quickly looked through his scope. There they were, two Scorpions as predicted approaching him. He loaded the rifle and took aim, waiting for the pilot to be right in his crosshair. He took a deep breath, slowly exhaled and pulled the trigger. The bullet shot out of the barrel, went straight through the windshield and into the chest of the pilot. The inside splattered with red and the Scorpion dived into the forest below, crashing and exploding. Alan aimed for the other Scorpion in a hurry and fired but missed the pilot. He continued to open up holes on the outside and smoke soon puffed out of the engine. The Scorpion struggled to maintain control as it tilted to one side. Alan reloaded and kept shooting, trying to aim for the engine. The rounds were tearing through the fuselage and eventually one round made it into the cockpit, covering the inside with the pilot's head which was now in a million pieces. It spun out of control and crashed into the hills. By now the ground units were on full alert as they approached the Na'vi who were waiting for them. A dozer roared its way through, clearing anything in front of it while men scanned the area with their weapons aimed and ready to fire. Tak crawled over to Tsuwokan.

"They getting closer, you ready?"

"Yes."

"Tell the others."

Tsuwokan signalled other Na'vi who then signalled others and everyone was now ready. They had their bows loaded and would face the enemy any minute now. As the dozers roar got louder the footsteps of the AMPS stomping the ground could be heard as well. The dozer had passed the Na'vi at the very front and the men followed behind. Trees fell down like dominos, being ripped out from the ground. Tsuwokan gave the signal and the Na'vi shot their arrows. The humans suffered casualties and opened fire. The Na'vi not knowing guerrilla tactics decided to face the enemy out in the open and the intensity quickly escalated. "No that's not how it's meant to be done!" he yelled at Tsuwokan but it was too late. He hopped out from cover and opened fire. The dozer had come to a halt and now was the time to disable it. "Let's go!" he yelled to his group. They made their way to the dozer but were cut off by an AMP which fired upon them. Unable to proceed further they laid on the ground.

"What now?" asked Tak. Tsuwokan was thinking.

"You can destroy the machine?"

"Yes!"

"Go! We will destroy shield that walks! Go go!"

Tsuwokan lead the small group out to draw the AMP's attention while Tak ran to the dozer. He climbed up the side and got on the top and went to the camera at the front. With his fist he punched the glass many times and cracked it then shot it just to make sure. He jumped down and rejoined the fight. By now the Na'vi had suffered casualties as well. With bullets and arrows flying in all directions it was chaos, but the Na'vi had pretty much surrounded the humans. Tak fired recklessly, his gun spitting Uranium needle rounds at 6000rpm. It wasn't easy to aim with such a big and heavy gun. Tsuwokan was trying to get back into the fight but he had no more arrows and his group was injured, now useless. As he tried to reach for an arrow a bullet hit his forearm and he yelled in pain, retreating back to cover. An AMP could be heard approaching. Tsuwokan prepared himself for death but before the AMP reached him the sound of a bullet flying past pierced his ears. He flinched, staying still in his spot. The AMP collapsed to the ground with a loud thud. He looked around to see it lying on the ground and not moving. A troop then suddenly flew back after being hit in the chest. He looked around to see where it was coming from but saw nothing. Tak then came running to him and crashed next to him. "Take this!" he said as he handed Tsuwokan a handful of arrows. They both ran back out and finished off the enemy, making sure there were no survivors. One by one the Na'vi eliminated the remaining RDA forces. The second AMP was still active and it just wouldn't go down. Tak went to the AMP from behind and fired at the glass that was exposed. The rounds penetrated the glass and the toxic hydrogen sulphide filled the cockpit. The driver gasped and quickly put on the exopack inside but it was too late. Tak had climbed onto the back and had his gun pointed down at the top of the drivers head. The driver looked up to see the Hydra's three 50 cal barrels greeting him. Tak filled his face with needle rounds and they ripped through the skin and flesh, turning his face into minced meat and quickly jumped off as the AMP collapsed to the ground. He met up with Tsuwokan and looked around to see the area littered with dead humans along with some dead Na'vi. It was a victory that came with some losses. This time the Na'vi did not celebrate, the victory could not bring back the fallen brothers and sisters. Alan saw Tak and went to him.

"You're alive, that's good."

"Yeah, you too."

"Looks like we did it."

"We won, but this isn't the end. They'll be back."


	22. Chapter 22

The tension was building up in the control tower back at Hell' Gate after their operation in securing a new mining site had terribly gone wrong. Selfridge was venting out on Colonel Hilton.

"What the hell happened out there?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"They obviously knew we were coming, I don't know how they found out but they did."

"That's not good enough! You know how much in damaged equipment they've cost us this year so far? Way too much, and unless you're willing to sacrifice your pay check I suggest you do something about it! I don't have time for this, demands need to be met and you're partly responsible for that! If you can't do your job then I'll find someone who can, I don't care how long it takes them to get here!"

Colonel Hilton remained calm but inside he was furious. He knew the human traitor was involved but he had no leads to follow up on. Catching the person seemed impossible but he was determined to do so. The next day a message was cast to all of Hell's Gate.

"This is Colonel Hilton, all military personal are to report to the mess hall immediately."

The hall filled with troops and pilots. Guards at the entrance made sure no one else entered. Once everyone was there the doors closed. Back at the shacks while everyone was going about their daily business, a Samson touched down and men got out to make their way to the door. When they got in they looked around for Alan.

"You, get up. We need to go now."

Alan look confused. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Now sergeant, don't make me wait."

Alan turned to his peers. "I'll be back."

The Samson took off for the FEBA base, leaving the gang puzzled. This was going to turn into a discussion which Tak had no interest being part of. His relationship with Dr. Isaac was also turning sour so he didn't want to stay inside. Alan was like the barrier which kept things at ease between the two. Tak headed out to the weights and worked out. As he lied on the bench press he thought about what he had been getting out of this war that he started against the corporation. Besides the slight satisfaction of killing, there really wasn't much else. Shutting down RDA also meant shutting down the Avatar program and so hopes for saving Earth in the future would be no more. Everything he had been working on would all be for nothing. The more he thought about it the more his plan seemed meaningless. He concentrated on lifting the weights with all his power while looking up at the canopy above him.

It was a very hot day and staying out of the sun wasn't much help. Too bad there wasn't somewhere nearby to go for a swim, at least for the humans. Tak was sweating and needed to cool down. He opened the fridge and let the cold air blow onto his face.

"Don't leave it open for too long." said Dr. Eileen.

"If you're that hot then why don't you go for a swim in your Avatar? The rivers around here are safe, nothing's going to try and eat you."

What a great idea! He had never thought of this, and although it wasn't really him going for a swim it was better than roasting inside an oven with nothing fun to do. "Sounds good." he replied before closing the fridge and getting in his Avatar. He woke up inside his Avatar sized tent and got changed into some comfortable clothes. A singlet and a pair of long shorts with underwear was just fine. He put on his shoes and headed out to find a nice quiet spot. The FEBA was a never ending forest with river networks which went on forever so there were many great places for a swim. He walked for a while until he found the perfect spot. In front of him was a waterfall as tall as a five floor building which dumped water into a large pool surrounded by plants of many different shapes, sizes and colours. The pool narrowed into a river which flowed calmly. The water was crystal clear and he could see well into the pool, but it was deeper than it looked. Above him the forest canopy provided a roof which shielded the place from heavy sunlight. He took off his shoes and singlet and jumped in. As he hit the water and sunk he could feel the heat of his body dropping. It was very refreshing and it felt amazing. Without moving a muscle he let his body float up and as he surfaced he breathed in deeply and opened his eyes. Having never been to such a place back on earth, he was overwhelmed at the utopia that surrounded him. A pristine place untouched by anyone. He had finally found a place that he could call "mine". And he hadn't even scratched the surface when it came to finding beautiful places on Pandora.

After cooling off for a while he decided to see where the river went to. He got his singlet and shoes and carried them as he followed the river to where it lead him to. Everywhere he looked exotic plants bloomed with colours while insects buzzed and crawled around. The sound of flowing water provided the bass for the melody of the animals as they cried out to each other high in the trees. Soon he realized that he had been walking for a while and the river was quiet large now. It had gotten wider and the current was stronger. He was getting the urge to go in for another dip so he dropped his stuff and dived in. He opened his eyes in the water to see small fish swimming around him. Not caring about how far he went, he let the current carry him. He would surface for a breath of air and dive back down. Up ahead he could see a dark mass which got bigger as he approached it but before he could get near it a spear shot into the water, missing the fish and scaring it away. He slowed down and surfaced to see a Na'vi woman diving in to retrieve her spear. When she surfaced they met. She greeted him with a delayed smile and Tak did the same.

"Hey Zetey."

"Tak. Why are you here?"

"Just going for a swim. You?"

"Hunting."

She swam back to land and dropped her spear on the ground, then sat down to take a rest. Tak did the same and sat next to her. They didn't say a word for a minute or so but eventually Zetey broke the silence.

"You have changed." she said in a soft voice. Tak nodded slightly.

"You are not interested, and you do not listen to me... what is wrong?"

"...You didn't do anything bad so don't worry about it."

"You look ...sad. Why sad?"

Tak didn't feel like talking about it but it hit him. She was showing concern for him and he had learned about pushing people away who tried to be his friend. He wasn't going to be an asshole and fuck it up again so he decided to open up. It took him a bit of time to gather his thoughts as he sighed, not proud of what he had done.

"You probably already know this but this isn't who I really am. This is just a body, it can't live on its own. The real me is lying in a link somewhere, controlling this thing, and so when I-"

"I know, but what is wrong with YOU." she said as she placed her hand on his chest, above his heart. She slowly dropped her hand as Tak followed it and looked down at the ground. He sighed as he prepared to let it out.

"...I did something to myself. I thought it would make me feel good, and it did for a while, but it slowly ate me away... and now I've fallen into this shitty, depressive state. Doesn't happen all the time, but regularly and especially if I think about it." Tak shook his head. "Not good."

There was a moment of silence. Zetey wasn't clear on what Tak was upset about but she decided not to push any further. At least now she understood why he was so inattentive, and now she would try to get him back to the way he was.

"Do not be upset with things you do in past. Gillian told us, you learn from past to make future better. Like my father told me, worry no more because tomorrow is a new day."

She stood up and grabbed his arm. He stood up as well.

"Do you know how to use this?" she asked as she handed him a spear.

"Uhhh no."

She took him into the river with the water just below his knees.

"Look for a fish, once you do hold tukru like this. Do not move your feet or they will go away. Breath strong, concentrate and throw."

She left him with her bow and arrows to go fishing in another spot. Tak stood there looking in the water for fish. There weren't too many, just a few small ones. He went deeper and after a while found a decent sized fish. As told, he kept his eye on the prey, not moving his feet and drawing the spear back. He took a breath and while slowly exhaling he threw it. It missed and the fish got away. This was allotting harder than it seemed. He grabbed his spear and went looking for another. Attempt after attempt failed as he continued to misjudge the distance, the water played tricks on him as it bent the light that entered. Just when he was about to ditch the spear and use his hands, a fish appeared so he gave it one last go. He readied himself and threw it. The spear pierced the water and sunk. Tak picked it up and pulled it out of the water to reveal a fish speared on the end. He smiled as he bathed in the glory of his first catch. Feeling good about himself he went looking for Zetey, but that died when he saw her backing up from the river, dragging a huge fish onto the bank which dwarfed his catch. She pulled the arrow out of the gill and lifted it up onto her shoulder. When she turned around to see Tak holding the spear with a poor excuse of a catch on the end she let out a small laugh.

"I got this, but it's nothing compared to what you got there..."

"Well done. We can go back."

They returned to hometree and Tak picked up his shoes and singlet on the way. They went up the spiral and dropped off their catches.

"You did good today, irayo."

"It's ok, it was a good experience... guess I better go. Kiyevame"

"Kiyevame."

He began to make his way back down but Zetey called for him.

"Tak. Do not be sad, tomorrow is a new day."

That night the Takahayo sat around the fire as their dinner cooked. The clan members chatted amongst each other as usual. The animals that had been caught and cooked were being shared but Zetey who was with her friends decided not to.

"Why is that one so small? And where did you get it? Hahahahaha!" said one of her friends. Others joined in on the joke.

"You can't even share it because it's so small!"

"Maybe next time Eywa will bless you with more luck hahahaha!"

Zetey decided to snap back.

"See that big fish over there? I caught that, and that's what you're eating right now... morons"

It shut them up for a few seconds.

"...So who caught that?"

"Why does it matter?"

Back at the shacks Tak was having his usual alone time. He thought about his day outside. It was refreshing and fun. It also took his mind of other things. He wanted to go back but he still felt some kind of guilt, like he wasn't worthy enough to be taught by such a wise and pure species. While in bed he thought about it. Those last few words before he left still remained in his mind. "Tomorrow is a new day."

Tak got stuck into some solid work the next day and it was afternoon before he knew it. He made his way with Dr. Eileen and Dr. Dale. Before hometree the two split from Tak as they decided to go count the local Yeriks as part of the FEBA conservation program, a side project she decided to start up. Dr. Eileen liked this, it was a sign that he was taking the initiative to visit the Na'vi more. Tak searched around for Zetey but she was nowhere to be found so he sat down on his favourite log. When she appeared he got up and walked over to her.

"Hey."

"Tak, Kaltxi eylan."

"Is it ok if we go somewhere else to talk?"

They went to the back of hometree and sat down by the water.

"Last night I thought about the past month or so of my life and I just completely forgot about how much of a bumpy ride it's been. Seemed like I got off to a good start, then fucked it up, and just when it was getting better I fucked it up again. Didn't really know what was next, but I remembered what you told me. Today is a new day, I've put all the bullshit from my past behind me and... I'm ready to learn again... So teach me, please. Whatever it is, whatever you throw at me, I'm ready."

Zetey looked at him. He was serious, and she could see it. Her serous face turned into a small smile.

"Yes, I know."

They went out to the forest and Zetey took off, running as fast as she could to see if Tak could keep up. As she zoomed threw the natural obstacle course, Tak was keeping up but it wasn't easy. She ran up a tree and jumped onto another and began running along the network of branches that were suspended above ground like a complex highway. Tak was getting tired but he went for the jump with full speed and just landed it. He was falling behind but kept going. Zetey continued until she noticed Tak wasn't following behind her. She stopped and waited for him. Tak was soon in sight. He was jogging, obviously out of breath, and didn't see the small bump in the way which he tripped over and crashed to the floor then rolled off the tree and fell to the ground below. He tried to grab onto vines on the way down but he only got tangled in them and they spun him out of control. Tucking his head into his chest, he hoped for the best. He hit the ground, landing flat on his back and gasping for air from being winded. Zetey hopped down, breaking her fall by utilizing her surroundings and landed next to him. She looked at him and giggled. Tak got back onto his feet.

"Try not to do that." she said.

The next few days Tak would be taken on long runs through the forest, really pushing his Avatar's athleticism to the limits. They would run along the ground and eventually make their way onto the trees above. Wherever there was a path they would follow it. Tak would trip over or run into things but he would get back and keep going. It was tough but it was also very fun. Getting lost in the forest made him forgot why he was really sent to Pandora and for that period of time in the day his mind would be taken off from all the work and fighting. Tough on the body but rejuvenating for the mind. When he returned his muscles would ache. Lying back down on his bed had never felt so damn good but he knew it was worth it, no pain no gain. Not only was it a great way to get fit, but it was also a great way to get to know the area and familiarise himself with it. The FEBA was a very disorganised place with all the river systems, changes in elevation and abundance of plants but there were things that he would recognise which began to give him a sense of direction.

One morning Dr. Eileen noticed Tak quietly doing his work. The others had gone off in their Avatars and it was just her, Tak and Alan. By now it was obvious that these were the two people that Tak had got to know the most. She sat down next to him and turned on the camera that was on his desk.

"You've been going out these past few days so I assume you've got some interesting stuff to share. Tell us all about it."

"Well it's nothing to do with my work, so I don't think people are going to care."

"Video logs aren't just about the work you do, it does help if you keep a record of it but it's not the only thing. It's like... a way to express yourself. You don't even have to think, you just speak what's on your mind. So, just give it a go." she said as she got the camera ready to record then got up and left him. Tak sat infront of his monitor, looking at himself from an angle on the screen. For minutes he sat in silence with his face resting on his hand, not feeling like saying anything. How were you supposed to "express yourself" when you didn't feel like saying anything? Dr. Eileen watched from her desk and decided to give him a bit of a push.

"We're all waiting for you to say something."

"This is stupid."

"Maybe, but it is a good idea... Any time today Tak."

And that's when it struck him.

"This is lame." he said to himself as he got up and went to his bed. Dr. Eileen watched as he walked off and disappeared for a while and came back with his guitar and amp. Tak got set up and did a quick sound check, making sure he was in tune. "No I don't think that's what you're supposed to be doing now." said Dr. Eileen but Tak ignored her and pressed the record button on the camera. He then played a song from his folder and began playing along. It started off soft with an acoustic intro to which he played with a clean sound, then came the distorted line. He stopped, holding the note and letting it ring and when the heavy riff dropped he continued playing along. The others watched the master at work, filling the shacks with the awesomeness of metal. Alan couldn't help sing along as he knew the words but Dr. Eileen sighed and shook her head. This wasn't what she meant, but atleast he was recording something. She hoped she didn't have to explain to any of her colleagues why the weird guy of her group decided to record himself playing guitar. Tak finished and stopped recording.

"How's that for expressing myself?" he asked as he walked to the link. She looked at Alan.

"It's an awesome song." He said but she just rolled her eyes.

"You're into that lame pop shit huh? Too bad no one likes metal in the 22nd century."

At the end of his afternoon with Zetey he was feeling tired as usual. They had just finished climbing up trees and jumping from branches. He fell to the ground and sat up against a tree.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, just really, really, really tired."

"...Before Gillian teach us many things of your people. She take us to the school sometimes and we learn English, I meet the woman called Grace, kind person. The school was far so we stay there and get to know children of other clans. But after my people know what happened there we stop going, I was angry and did not want to learn any more. But that was a long time ago, now I do. So I want you to teach me."

"What do you want to know?"

"...Anything."

"Hmm, alright then."

The next day Tak turned up to hometree with his backpack filled with books and magazines. Whatever he could find in the shacks he took and stuffed them in. Zetey and him found a nice quiet spot and sat down. Tak opened his backpack and took out the science textbooks, National geographic magazines and his guitar magazines, spreading them across the ground. Zetey picked up a Nat Geo and looked at the cover with a photo of an Amazonian tribal man with his face paint and ornaments. She then turned the cover and looked through, examining the photos on each page with great interest. Soon she was asking questions about the images she was seeing and Tak explained. One answer only lead to another question and it seemed like it would be an eternity just to get through one magazine. After they finally got through the Nat Geo Zetey picked up a guitar magazine. It was a special edition dedicated to the greatest guitarists and people who influenced rock and metal.

"This one's one of my favourites" said Tak.

"Who is this person?"

"That's Jimi Hendrix, one of the greatest persons to ever exist."

"What did he do?"

"Something very amazing, words can't describe it."

Zetey looked back at the cover in amazement, her pupils enlarging as she looked at this person they called Jimi. He was holding some sort of skyperson object with both hands.

"What is this?"

"That's what made him great, it's the Fender Stratocaster." Zetey looked at him confused.

"It's a guitar. It's an instrument that my people play to make music."

"You can become great doing this?"

"Well yeah, if you're good enough. Not everyone makes it to such a level of skill and greatness, but the ones who do leave behind a legacy."

"So he makes music, like my people sing songs?"

"No it's a bit different, well, very different. You people sing to celebrate or worship someone or something or to teach. My people sing and make music to not only do those things but also because it's fun. Music is a big part of my people, it makes us feel different things so we enjoy it. We have an industry for music only, and even schools that teach you about music. It's too much to just describe in words but, yeah, it's big."

It was quite a lot to take in but Zetey got the idea, music was a big part of their way of life. She turned the cover and like before, looked at all the photos of the people who each played a role in the evolution of music.

"This one is different. This one is also different!"

"Yep there's alot of different guitars."

"What is different?"

"A number of things, how they sound, how they feel, how they look."

Tak picked up another guitar magazine, another special edition which featured 500 guitars from the past. He turned the pages and showed it to her."

"See, there's heaps of them...Oh here, I got one of these." Tak pointed to the photo and Zetey tried to read the name of it.

"I-ba-nez."

"That's right, the Ibanez TM20. It's a fucking beast. EMGs, Floyd Rose tremolo and killer looks. I love this thing so much."

Zetey continued to look at the photo of the guitar, it's horns pointy as the devil's, the matt black pickups looking very serious, the technical parts of the tremolo giving it a very mechanical skyperson feel and the black tuning pegs on the aggressive headstock resembling the upper jaw of a Pandoran creature with its sharp teeth. She wanted to see one of these guitars for herself.

"You have one?" she asked excitedly.

"Yeah, I got two back at the shacks."

"Can I see it?"

"Maybe another time."

The two continued to look through the magazines while enjoying the peace and quiet of the lush forest.


	23. Chapter 23

It was a beautiful warm and sunny day and Dr. Eileen's special delivery had arrived in the morning. The Samson landed outside the shacks and the rotors shut down as it would take a while to unload the goods. Tak was woken up by the sound of a loud thud. "Be careful! These things are expensive and there aren't many left!" said Dr. Eileen who actually wasn't carrying anything but just standing around and watching the guys do all the work. Tak looked at what was going on to see parts for a new link being carried in.

"Oh hey, you're awake. Look what we got!"

Tak rubbed his eyes, looked at the parts being laid out on the floor then looked back at his boss.

"They decided to get rid of one at another research site so we took it from them. I thought another one would be nice, but I don't know where to put it so we may have to leave it here for a while."

He got up and headed to the shower. When Tak was brushing his teeth after breakfast, Dr. Eileen went to the links with Dr. Dale and Isaac. They were going to go to a new place to have a look at the plants and creatures. It was half work and half play but it would be fun either way, just like any place that was undisturbed by the skypeople.

"We're going to be gone for a while so if you find a place to put it then you can go ahead and start putting it together. The manual is over there, shouldn't be too hard. Alright, I'll see you later."

With them gone, Tak sat down at his desk and looked around the shack. Where could it go? He slowly spun around in his chair and observed the space around him. Most of the shack was filled with desks, chairs and shelves but there was a nice amount of space to the left of his desk. He measured the length of the machine with his arms then returned to the space. It just fit. Dr. Brent came in.

"So, where should we put that thing?" he asked.

"Fits nicely over here."

"It does, nice. Well it really is the only place available... Alright, let's start moving it into here."

The guys moved the parts over next to Tak's desk and began to put it together. Even with the help of the manual, putting it together was a bitch. The many screws and wires made the assembly a long and messy process. The guys soon got frustrated but carried on. Meanwhile Dr. Eileen was flying over the forest, free of worries. She was excited and couldn't wait to arrive at this special place.

They approached the site and as they descended, Dr. Eileen got a surprise which she wished she hadn't got. The area was being occupied by RDA and heavy equipment was being offloaded and it looked like a new base was being setup. She didn't understand what was going on. "What are they doing here? How do they know about this place?... Oh no." she said to herself. She told the pilot to land where all the activity was happening and told him to wait. She walked around, trying to find someone to talk to but they all ignored her and went about their business. In a situation like this she had to raise her voice, something she didn't like doing.

"Hey! What the hell's going here?" she asked a man.

"New place for you nerds to work at."

"What are you talking about?"

"Orders from higher up, now fuck off you're bothering me."

"Tell me what's going on!"

"Hey, listen. As far as I know you're not meant to be here, so you can either fuck off or I can have you taken away. What's it gonna be?"

She wanted to pick him up and choke the shit out of him, and she easily could, but she resisted. The others asked her what was going on as she approached the Samson but she couldn't give them an answer. They returned to the shacks and Dr. Eileen wasted no time getting back to herself. She woke up and roughly opened the link, got out and went straight back to the Samson. This time she would go on her own. "Hell's Gate now!" she told the pilot and they took off. The other two were still confused, but it obviously had something to do with the takeover of the area they were just at.

Dr. Eileen jumped off the Samson before it touched down and marched to the Hell's Gate control tower. The lift doors opened and there she saw Parker having fun with his putter. She confronted him.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?"

"Ah you, what can I do for you?"

"You selfish asshole, god if I could knock you out I would."

"...Right, you're obviously upset about something and you're taking it out on me."

"You're goddamn right I'm taking it out on you! I was at a previously untouched site today and when I got there I saw your guys off loading all that shit like they were turning it into another military base, now you tell me what's going on!"

"Oh riiiight, yeah well, the thing is if I see an opportunity that's going to benefit the company then I'm going to capitalize on it."

"And exactly what would that opportunity be?"

"...Really? You're asking me? You're the one who found it for me, yeah you."

Parker went to get something from his desk and returned.

"It's all in here, everything. Hahahaha. I bet you were trying to keep it a secret from us huh? Too bad you lost it and it managed to make its way into our hands. Yeah I got to say, this is really going make a lot of money, and it's all thanks to you... Oh here, you probably want it back. We've got everything we need." Parker handed her the portable device she had lost.

"You're just blinded by your greed. You think you're doing something so great, you're not."

"Uh, no I'm actually doing something brilliant. Obviously you don't see the brilliance in maximising profits, and besides it doesn't make a difference. We've been securing bits of land for what you proposed in the first place remember? That little deal we discussed a while back?"

"Look at our planet, it's already in a bad enough state and all you're going to do is make it worse! Selling weapons isn't going to help anything, it's just going to encourage war which is only going to further destroy our world and once there's nothing left then what are you going to spend your money on? ...Exactly."

"Well that maybe true but until that day comes I think I'm going to look forward to a bigger paycheque."

"You know nothing Parker, nothing. Colonel, please you've got to help me here."

Dr. Eileen pleaded with a look into Colonel Hilton's eyes. He felt the same way but he couldn't let his personal opinions interfere. He just returned a disappointed look to her.

"My job is to make sure everyone stays alive. I have no say in the matter."

"What?... So you're just going to let this asshole get away with this? I tho-"

"There's nothing I can do, I'm sorry."

"That's a shame, I used to know someone who could've."

Colonel Hilton closed his eyes and breathed in, her comment pierced his heart and angered him but he said nothing. Dr. Eileen saw that Parker had gone back to enjoying his game of mini golf. Before the ball reached his mug she kicked the ball towards Parker who flinched, then she kicked the mug which smashed into pieces. She returned to the Samson which awaited her and she was flown back to the shacks.

By the time Dr. Eileen had returned it was late afternoon and the last link had been complete. It sat next to Tak's desk and he was using it for the afternoon. When he got out he saw people gathered at Dr. Eileen's desk listening to her. She had her head in her hand with a beer opened. When Tak got onto his feet she spotted him.

"Tak, so...how's the new link?"

"Good... what's wrong?"

"They found it, it's over. It's all my fault, I should've been more careful...shit."

Tak didn't show it but his thoughts were "great, now what?" Seeing her beat herself up over it, the others tried to cheer her up and make it seem not as bad as she was making it out to be.

"At least they didn't shut us down."

"Yeah and besides, the science department doesn't have to go along with it. We're not getting paid to develop weapons, if they want this then they can get someone else to do it." Dr. Eileen sighed at the failed attempts.

"It doesn't work like that... they're the ones with all the money, they pay for everything we have. The equipment, the research projects, the Avatar program, everything. We do as they say or lose all that we've ever worked for. It's so unfair..."

That night Dr. Eileen tried to sleep but the guilt was too much. She felt like she had opened up a gateway for governments of the world to add more fuel to the fire of ongoing wars back on earth. It was only a matter of time before armies would be bombing each other with toxic gases or injecting their soldiers with drugs. How would she explain her fuck up to Dr. Augustine? She didn't want to think about it. Hopefully a new day would come and take away her worries.

Days past and by now it had been a while since Tak and Alan had gained useful information, now it was time to gain more. They both went outside for a workout and also for a confidential chat. As Tak spotted Alan on the bench press they discussed what the next step would be.

"All we know is how to control the defence systems. Well not really, we still don't know how to access them. And it's not like we can just stroll into the room and go about our business, only authorised people can go in there."

"I don't think it's as easy as just getting the password and entering it. They probably have some kind of system which changes the password constantly. I don't know shit about computers, do you?"

"Nope."

"...What if we got someone's ID, then we could easily enter the room."

"Yeah but it still doesn't teach us how to do all that stuff on the computer."

"We just get them to tell us."

"Do things the usual way huh? Put a gun to their head and make them spit it out."

"Then kill them, it's the only way."

"So, why are we even doing this? The FEBA base isn't that big, we can just put explosives around the place and light the place up."

"I could be wrong, but assuming the security systems are similar, if not same for all other places on Pandora, if we find out how to access them then we can pretty much shut down any place we want and take it over. Bases, mines, outposts, we could reclaim this world."

"Right... and once we do take over the whole world then what?"

"The humans learn their lesson and return and the people who deserve to stay maybe stay. You live happily ever after with your girlfriend, the end."

"...She's not my girlfr-"

"Bull shit, I heard you two fucking the other day. Shut the door next time."

"Oh... you did?" mumbled Alan. The cat was now out of the bag but Tak didn't care.

That afternoon when Tak was spending his afternoon with Zetey, he got his usual fitness session. Although his stamina still needed improvement, he was getting used to jumping and dodging obstacles in his way. As they were running Zetey suddenly stopped. She looked at an insect which was crawling up a tree and she carefully picked it up and showed Tak. It was a very beautiful looking creature with intricate patterns and a colour combination of black, yellow and orange which said "stay away from me". Its legs were long and sharp like a spiders minus the hair. The mandibles around the mouth were like small multi jointed spines making it fierce looking. The spikes along its back stuck out like a Bloated Stem spore and got smaller as it reached the back. Zetey took Tak's hand and showed him how to hold it. Tak examined the creature in great fascination. He had never seen this one, and it was only one of many others that lived in the area.

"It's beautiful." he said as the creature moved around in his palm and up and down his arm.

"It is dangerous. If it does not like you, it will bite you."

"Can it kill you?"

"No, but be careful. It is poison, you will not be able to move."

"A neurotoxin, that's cool... Can I take it with me?"

"...Whatever you take, you must return it."

"I know, I will."

"...Yes, you may."

"Thanks, this is awesome."

They shared a small smile before returning to their homes. When Tak got back he banged on the shack window and showed Dr. Eileen what he had in his hand. She quickly got a clear container and took it out to him. He threw in some dirt and plants then placed the creature in the container and put on the lid. Placing it by his bed in his Avatar's tent he awoke from the link and went back out to get it and bring it in. They then connected the container to some pipes which allowed a flow of Pandoran air. These special containers were for keeping specimens alive so they could be studied.

"Where did you find this guy?" asked Dr. Eileen. She hadn't seen one of these in a while.

"Just around here. Well, actually I didn't find it, Zetey did. She let me hold it."

"She let you hold it? That's, pretty dangerous but something you don't get to do every day. I guess it's a special treat. You do know these things can paralyse you?"

"Yeah I heard. Must be a strong neurotoxin."

"Very strong. One bite is more than enough for six humans. I'll show you."

She got a stirring rod and tied a bunch of cotton with a rubber band and inserted it into the container via a special hole. She prodded the creature and it pounced onto the cotton, biting down and injecting its neurotoxin. She tried to shake the creature off but it held on, then finally gave up and dropped to the container floor. When she took the rod out the cotton was drenched in a light yellow liquid.

"See that? Imagine all that being pumped into you, not very nice."

Tak put on some gloves and took the cotton off. He then drained the toxin into a small sample tube.

"What are you doing?"

"Just collecting this stuff."

"Why?"

"Why not? It could be useful one day. Maybe study it."

"Ok, just be careful."

Dr. Eileen was really naive which was good since she had no clue as to what Tak was really going to use it for.

The time had finally come to get more answers and Tak was determined to get out as much as possible from today. He took the small tube of toxin and gave it to Alan. He then joined Alan outside in his Avatar and on the way they discussed what they were going to do.

"This is a neurotoxin, it's very strong. Go to the medical centre and put this into a syringe then find someone appropriate and get them to follow you outside. Once you do stick that thing into their neck."

"Oh right, just let me do all the hard work."

"Well I need to go get some stuff, I'll meet you near the base."

"Ok but remember this isn't a stroll in the park, I may take a while so just wait."

"Alright, whatever you say... and the other day, when you got randomly called to the base, what the fuck was that all about?"

"Oh that, well after we pulled that little stunt Hilton decided to tighten security even more. From now on all scientists are to be accompanied wherever they go, it's compulsory. Anything suspicious we see or hear we have to report it. I'm not supposed to be telling you this but it doesn't matter obviously."

"We pissed him off did we?"

"Yeah, we did."

Tak headed to hometree while Alan continued to the FEBA base. This was going to be difficult but they needed to know how to shut down the security system. Stepping through the entrance, Alan felt a bit nervous. Being alone made him feel under the pressure but he went to the medical centre and was greeted by a medic.

"What can I do for you?"

"Ever since yesterday afternoon I haven't felt too good. Bit of a headache, dizziness and feeling tired."

"Have you been drinking enough water? Sounds like you're dehydrated."

"I don't think it's that."

He was looking around the room for an empty syringe but didn't see one anywhere.

"Were you stung by anything? Plants, bugs?"

"No...but I am living with some scientists, maybe I was exposed to some chemicals?"

"I'll have to test your blood."

"Ahh, ok."

The medic opened a drawer and took out a clean needle, drew some blood from his arm and took it away for testing. This gave Alan time to get a syringe. He looked for a cap to put on the needle then quickly put it in his pocket and sat back down.

"Hey how long is this going to take?"

"A while, why? You need to be somewhere?"

"Yeah I have to get back."

"You wouldn't have been exposed to a lethal dose of anything because if you were you would be dead by now. Just drink lots of water and you'll piss it all out."

"Will do, thanks!"

He then made his way outside the control room hoping someone would come out to fall as his victim. As he made a turn into the corridor he saw someone exiting the room. By the chat the person had with his colleague he was going out to get some fresh air, perfect. Keeping his distance, he followed the man with his head down. They got outside and the man began walking around the place. He then stopped and took in the warmth.

"Nice isn't it?" said Alan.

"What?"

"The sun, it's nice. Good to get out after been stuck inside a fucken room for so long."

"Oh right, yeah sure is. I don't know about you but I have to sit in front of a screen all day making sure this place doesn't get attacked. Signing up with security department was a bad decision."

"Yeah well at least you don't have to deal with them in person. I have to make sure the people I escort don't get hurt. It's not as easy as it seems."

"Oh you got to look after them scientist jack offs? That's bullshit. I don't get the deal with those people, trying to make friends with the enemy isn't going to make getting the jewels any easier. They need to go back home, stop interfering with our business you know? Fucken dumbasses."

"Yeah, I agree..."

The conversation wasn't helping the plan and it was taking quite a while. But then the perfect opportunity arose.

"Hey bro, can you watch my back while I take a piss? I'm just going to go somewhere in these bushes. You got a gun with you right?"

"Yeah sure go for it... Ahh wait, maybe you want to do it away from the fence, one of the scientists told me the little traces of Unobtanum in the soil can conduct your piss and you'll get shocked by the fence."

"...You serious? Shit, I'll keep that in mind."

The man walked away from the fence and headed deeper into the forest. No one would now know if he disappeared. There wasn't anyone outside and they hadn't been followed so nobody probably knew they were out here. Before the man finished his business Alan took out the tube of toxin and drew some of it into the syringe. He then approached the man from behind. "Sorry about this." He said and he stabbed the needle into the man's neck who yelled in pain. The toxin was injected into his bloodstream, quickly taking effect and within a minute he collapsed to the ground.

"Why are you doing this to me?" asked the man with slight difficulty as his mouth wasn't fully moving. Alan ignored him and began dragging him by the arms deeper into the forest. Tak then appeared and looked at their victim.

"How much did you give him?"

"Not much, most of it's still here."

"He's gonna be out soon, his heart will slow down but he'll still be alive."

"How long till he wakes up?

"A few hours, he won't be able to move though."

"So we'll have to wait a while huh?"

Tak carried the body on his shoulder and they met up with Tsuwokan at a location which was appropriate for the situation. The rope was tied around their victim's ankle and he was taken care of by Tsuwokan. Tak took Alan for a walk around the forest while they waited for their victim to wake up so they could ask him a few questions. They walked until Alan was extremely tired and returned. Alan sat down seeming annoyed.

"What the fuck are we doing here? It's been two hours." he complained.

"Two hours?... Tsuwokan, throw him in."

It was over an hour later but the man finally woke up. He couldn't feel his body and still wasn't sure where he was but he awoke looking at a beautiful ceiling of green leaves, vines and branches. He continued to look around above him unable to identify where he was. His hearing also began to return and he could hear the sound of animals feasting. He looked down at himself to see viperwolves eating him alive. His shirt had been removed and his trousers torn apart. The horror cam quickly but the pain was absent. As he watched himself being devoured the shock prevented him screaming at first but he eventually let out a cry. As he yelled the viperwolves were alerted that their meal was in fact alive so they became more aggressive and bit harder, trying to silence it but the man only yelled more. He was suddenly pulled out of the pit and the viperwolves who tried to hold on fell to the ground. Tak was face to face with him.

"Wow, looks like you were eaten back to life. Anyway it's really simple, answer my questions or I'll throw you back in."

"What the fuck have you done to me! You motherfucker! You fucking motherfucker! Ahhhhh!"

"Calm down or I'll throw you back in."

"Fuck you you fucking piece of shit!"

Tak let go of the rope and the man dropped towards the ground but he stopped before reaching the viperwolves.

"Alright! Alright! I'll talk, I'll talk! Just don't feed me to those fucken things!"

The man was missing most of his left arm and his right bicep, a large chunk of his right leg and bites taken out of his left leg. The viperwolves had also dug into his torso but there wasn't much to bite into. Blood dripped from his whole body. Before the poor bastard bled to death Tak began with the questions.

"How do we access the security systems at the FEBA base?"

"You, you need to gain access through someone's account. You'll need their password."

"Then what?"

"Then you, bring up the system management program and, just do what the fuck you want."

"That easy?"

"Yes! It's not hard anyone can pretty much do it. Now please let me fucking go!"

"You have an account?"

"...yes"

"Password?"

"...JDMC213...hey, you'll need my ID as well to enter the control room. Now please just fucken let me go."

"Already got it asshole, but thanks anyway."

Tak pulled off the dying man's exopack and Alan put a bullet in his forehead. The dead body was dropped back into the viperwolf pit for them to finish off. They were eager to get back to finishing their meal and wasted no time tearing apart what flesh was left clinging onto the skeleton. The body was dragged around as the viperwolves fought over control, looking like a dog's toy being tossed around violently. Blood spilled onto the ground and it looked like a brutal crime scene. They three of them left as they heard the savage beasts tear apart what was left of their victim.


	24. Chapter 24

A little over two months of being on Pandora and Tak had gone through a lot, but so far so good. It occurred to Dr. Eileen that ever since he joined the team the pace in the work getting done seemed to had picked up. Running tests on the subjects that had been growing in the shacks, she smiled at the results. One day these things would be cleaning up the planet she once called home. She had requested a Samson from Hell's Gate to come and pick up some of the plants so they could be taken to the lab there. She went and told Tak before she forgot.

"A chopper from Hell's Gate is going to come down here so would it be ok if you could take these to the lab? I want Dr. Augustine to be updated on our progress."

"Uhhh, ok."

"Sorry, I know you don't like going there. No one does but I just want to be sure they reach the lab. You can't trust any of the army jack offs with this sort of stuff."

"Yeah yeah I know. I'll go."

Before noon Dr. Eileen decided to take three of her scientists along to the Takahayo for a fun day out. She had previously discussed with some of the people if they could go out together and help out with the daily tasks. Tak was busy working out so he was left behind with Alan who was playing games on Tak's laptop. While he was practicing his karate he heard rustling from the plants behind him. He stopped and checked if anything was there but there was nothing so he ignored it and resumed punching and kicking but a while later it happened again. The sound was faint but he could hear it. He sat down on the bench, patiently waiting and hoping the thing would come out. He had his head down but was looking up to see if the thing would show itself. It wasn't long before he could hear more faint rustling, and catch a glimpse of what looked like a golden eye. He remained still, pretending to not see or hear anything and soon a few blue fingers were poking out from the growth. This Na'vi was a curious one and wanted to have a closer look. It finally built up enough courage to show itself partly and when Tak looked up their eyes locked. They instantly recognized each other but the neither showed any emotions. It felt a bit tense but it was an amazing moment for the both of them. Tak had finally come face to face with his blue friend for the first time in his true form. The boy hesitantly approached and eventually got within a metre of Tak. They stared at each other, speechless. In his Avatar the boy seemed small but in reality the boy was huge, taller than Tak by about half a foot. Tak felt so much more at ease around him than he did around any other person, human or Na'vi. He definitely wasn't the type to talk to people out of his own will but this was different. A friendship had been built simply over doing small things together, who knows what would happen if they began talking. Tak put his hand on his chest and looked at him.

"Tak." he said. The boy didn't understand so he repeated it.

"Tak..."

He then pointed his hand to the boy and waited to a response.

"...Tsanten."

To make sure the boy knew he was being asked his name, Tak repeated the process. He said his name with his hand on his chest then pointed to the boy and said what he assumed was his name. The boy gave a small smile and repeated the process but in reverse. Tak returned a small smile, now they knew each others' names. Since both were the quiet type there was no interaction between the two but Tak decided to break the silence and show Tsanten something which may interest him. He gestured to Tsanten to wait and he went inside the shacks and came back out with his Les Paul. Tsanten examined the weird looking tawtute object. He had never seen such a thing and had absolutely no idea what it did, but he was fascinated just by the looks of it. Tak slowly picked the strings one by one. Tsanten watched in amazement, he couldn't figure out how the straight horizontal bits were making this strange noise at the touch of Tak's hand. Tak then played a short blues lick and Tsanten's eyes widened in amazement, what was that? He just moved his fingers really fast and it magically created this amazing sound! For Tsanten this was really cool. Tak waited for Tsanten's excitement to die down but that wasn't going to happen so he kept playing and his curious blue friend's excitement only grew bigger and bigger. For minutes they sat together, enjoying the beautiful sound which came from this magical tool until Tak stopped and put the guitar on his lap. He played the low E string and pressed down on the first fret. As he moved it slowly up he continued to pick that string and the sound got higher and higher in pitch. He let Tsanten have a go so Tsanten put his finger on the string and flicked it, it made that weird sound. He then brushed his finger across the strings and listened in awe as the thing magically made an even more vibrant sound. He smiled excitedly and then tried it with one of the frets pressed down, it made a higher sound. Tsanten could've done this all day but their fun was cut short when the sound of air being sucked out interrupted them. Alan was coming outside and Tsanten panicked. He quickly ran away. Alan came down the yellow metal stairs to see Tak sitting alone with his guitar.

"What are you doing out here playing by yourself? It's so much better inside."

"...Yeah, I guess it is."

Tak went back inside and sat down on his bed. He continued to play while thinking of what he had just experienced. It was exciting, amazing and unbelievable at the same time. The feeling was mutual with Tsanten as he ran back home. This was the most exciting day of his life yet, too bad he couldn't tell anyone about it.

The Samson arrived and Tak got all the stuff to take. Alan came as well since it was protocol. When they touched down at Hell's Gate they went straight to the lab and looked around for someone to give the stuff to. A scientist approached them.

"You guys with Dr. Eileen?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, just put it over there. We'll have a look at it. Nice work, we've been going over the stuff you've been sending us. I'm sure this'll make Dr. Augustine's day, provided someone hasn't pissed her off already. "

When they left the lab it was a good time to get some lunch so they went to the dining hall to see what was available. It was quiet with only a few people sitting down at the tables. They got some food and sat down at a table with another man not too far from them. It took Alan a while to notice it was Colonel Hilton. Their eyes met.

"Ah you, I recognize you. You're with Dr. Eileen correct?"

"Yes sir, sergeant Alan Major."

"Ah that's right, sergeant Major. And that would be one of her scientists, Dr. Ling."

"Yes sir."

"You gentlemen care to join me?"

"Uh..sure."

Alan moved over to sit in front of Colonel Hilton and Tak followed even though he didn't want to. He still saw Colonel Hilton as a hostile one and avoided eye contact with him. He just kept his head down and didn't speak, leaving Alan to do all the talking.

"So how are you boys enjoying Pandora?"

"Well, it's nice. It's definitely a bit unsettling at times but we're managing to stay alive."

"You get used to it after a while. Just remember to be alert all the time. I've seen what's happened to a lot of men who underestimated this place, it's not pretty. I remember the first time I went on a proper tour of the jungle and I'll tell you, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I'll admit, I was amazed and I couldn't stop thinking about it but that ended when I saw what some of the living things can do to you."

"Must be pretty bad."

"Very bad, I've seen everything from acid burns to dismembered limbs to severed heads. You know, Dr. Augustine once said there are many dangers on Pandora, and one of the subtlest is that you may come to love it too much."

"I'll keep that in my mind."

Their attention was drawn to a lady who laughed out loud while having a conversation with the man she was sitting with. They seemed like more than just friends.

"So did you have any one special back home sergeant?"

"No sir, I didn't. I was deployed in South America so I never had time for that."

"South America, tough place. I heard some stories about the jungle warfare going on there. You're lucky to be alive."

"Yeah, definitely."

"I was sent to a few places in my time on earth. The middle east, Rwanda, North Korea, Bosnia, but that's another story. Well anyway, people still manage to find someone special on this hell hole. I guess it's not a bad thing since it helps people to stay mentally healthy. Some have committed suicide from depression within my time here. I guess the loneliness is just too much for some people."

"Geez…."

"I mean there are other things which cause depression, but my point is just stay healthy sergeant."

"Will do sir."

Colonel Hilton could see Tak had been avoiding the conversation so he decided to test him. He directed his attention to him.

"And what about you Dr. Ling, did you have anyone special back home?"

Tak didn't bother looking up at him. "Oh, uh…no" he said softly. He obviously didn't want to talk to the Colonel.

"I see…."

It went quiet for a few seconds before Alan spoke.

"So what about you Colonel?"

"No, no one. I was married but my wife died before I came here."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that….from an illness?"

"No, she was killed in a bombing. Supposedly it was planned be eco terrorists but they never caught the people responsible. Well, I've moved on since."

"Only thing left to do after you lose someone special."

"That's right, life's tough but just keep going…. Well you two have a nice day."

The Colonel got up and left.

Meanwhile somewhere deep in the FEBA Dr. Eileen and her group were helping out the Takahayo with their daily tasks. They were picking fruits and seeds from trees while enjoying the peace and quiet. The warmth was just enough to keep them active but not make them uncomfortable hot. It had been a while since Dr. Eileen had spent this much time with Tsuwokan. During the period of mourning after losing his mate, Dr. Eileen had visited him every day for support and comfort, she was his shoulder to lean and cry on. Over the years they had slowly become friends. Although they would never have long conversations they had managed to learn a lot from each other. As they went about their jobs a Yerik appeared from some plants. Tsuwokan told everyone to be quiet then loaded an arrow onto his bow. He slowly pulled back as he kept aim on his prey and slowly exhaling, he released the arrow. It pierced the animal's skin and caused it to tumble to the ground. Dr. Eileen flinched at the point of impact, she still hadn't got used to seeing things being killed. Tsuwokan went to retrieve his kill and Dr. Eileen followed him. She stood beside him as she watched him say a prayer and remove the arrow before silencing the Yerik with his knife. She had seen this many times before but it never ceased to impress her how much respect the Na'vi had for everything around them. With a Yerik and enough fruits and seeds they decided to return to hometree. On the way back Tsuwokan and Dr. Eileen walked at the back of the group while chatting to each other.

"I think you've forgotten some English, you were better before." she said jokingly.

"Yes, I do not speak your language anymore. I… do not have reason."

"Yeah I guess you don't…. Tsuwokan I just hope you don't see us coming here all the time as a nuisance."

"Uh, sorry I do not understand, ahhh, noo-suns?"

"Oh, I mean I just hope you don't mind us being here. I know it might seem like we just come here whenever we feel like it but honestly I just can't live without being around you all so often. You've become my family over the years, and I couldn't live without my family."

"You help us for a long time, my people thankyou and the others. You are always welcome eylan."

"Thank you…..You know I always thought you were a fast learner, you seemed to pick up English better than the others in your clan. I could teach you if you want, I know you don't have a reason for learning our language anymore but it'll be fun."

Tsuwokan gave her a look which made her tingle, she didn't know what she had said to annoy him. But the look on his face slowly turned into a small smile. He just wasn't expecting such an offer.

"That will be good."

They exchanged smiles and she held his arm and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment as a friendly gesture.

Tak and Alan were thinking of returning to the FEBA but before leaving Tak decided to have a look around the place. He still needed explosives if he was going to destroy the FEBA base and a few grenades weren't going to get the job done. He needed something more powerful.

"I think we should make a trip to the armour bay." he said to Alan.

"For what? We've already got a shitload of weapons, we don't need anymore."

"Explosives retard, we're going to need a lot more bang than what a few grenades can give us if we plan to destroy the base. I'm sure this place has a lot more stuff to choose from. Let's go."

They walked to the armour bay and as usual it was busy. Vehicles were being serviced and it was full of activity, even walking through the building they went unnoticed. They came to a hell truck, as they were nicknamed, that was parked, the giant yellow beast with its huge six wheels was quite a machine. Mining explosives were being loaded onto the back and were being secured. Tak had a look at the explosives and knew that's exactly what he needed, but as to how he would get them was the problem. They walked around the truck examining it, studying its armour and mechanics and any possible weak points. It had cameras all around which enabled the driver a view of their surroundings. The armour seemed to be thick, as well as the tires. The glass looked like standard stuff but it could be bulletproof. They had gained enough information and decided to head back to the Samson which awaited them. When they arrived back at the shacks Dr. Eileen and the others were still linked. They sat down at Tak's desk and tried to come up with a plan.

"Well this is going to be fucken hard." said Tak as he had no ideas how this was going to get done.

"Alright, let's first try and think of how we get the stuff from the truck. We know one guy drives it, we know he has a view of all around him so he'll see us coming."

"And I'm sure security's pretty tight, they'll most likely have men and AMPs escorting them to and from the mines."

"Ok but let's just focus on how we offload the stuff. We saw they're strapped down, and you saw how big that thing is, the tray's gotta be at least 14 feet from the ground. I don't think throwing it off the back's going to be a possibility. But let's say we manage to get hold of the stuff, how do we carry it back to wherever we're going to keep it?"

"We'll use the direhorses, strap it onto them and carry it back to near hometree. We'll bury them and keep it for later use."

"Sounds possible, now how do we find out which trucks carry the explosives?"

The both of them went silent as they tried to think of an idea and for a while nothing came to mind, but Tak soon realized something.

"….You're probably authorised to go down to the mines, you're military personal right?"

"Yeah go on."

"Can't you get yourself a shift down at the mines for a day or so? They take you there by air so you'll get a good look at how the shit's transported along with all the security. Maybe you can even find out how to work the explosives."

"That could work, but there's no guarantee that I'll get on the list. And someone has to come here, so it'll pretty much be an exchange. I don't think anyone wants to sit here for a day."

"Come on Alan, you know and I know how casual those fuckers are. They won't care, just explain it to them in a convincing way. Say you're sick of baby sitting and you want out for a day."

"You think they'll buy it?"

"Sure, and if you mention there's a hot piece of ass named Lynda Isaac waiting for them they'll be here in no time."

"Fuck you asshole… alright I'll give it a shot tomorrow."

The next morning Alan went to the FEBA base with Tak to see if he could get himself on the role to go to the mines. Tak went off to the shooting range to get more minutes for his weapons training. He was getting pretty good with rifles but still needed practice with pistols. If he ever wanted to put those 50 cal pistols to good use he would need more training. Once he was done we walked out and Alan was waiting for him.

"You get it done?"

"Yeah, just. I wasn't sounding too convincing at the start but, I took your suggestion of mentioning Lynda and it actually worked."

"Oh wow, it did? Well that's too bad, she's gonna get raped."

"Hey fuck you that shit's not funny."

"Relax I'm joking. So when are you going?"

"Tomorrow actually, I have to be back here tonight because we leave early in the morning."

The two returned to the shacks feeling good that things were going as planned. That afternoon Tak went out for his run in the forest with Zetey while Dr. Eileen took Dr. Brent and Dale for a long hike in their Avatars. Tak had been getting more than enough exercise in his Avatar but the others weren't. The amount of walking they did for their research was nothing compared to what Tak would do in a day. Dr. Eileen decided to take the two to a valley she knew of which had a beautiful view of one of the rivers meandering its way through the forest covered landscape. With everyone "gone" Alan and Dr. Isaac wasted no time making the most of this rare occasion of alone time. While taking off their clothes they kissed and made their way onto Alan's bed and quickly got themselves in the sheets. It was quite warm inside the shack and soon they were getting sweaty. After an hour of hot and sweaty but passionate sex they laid in bed, Dr. Isaac resting her head on her man's chest.

"I have to leave later."

"Why?"

"I'm on the role for a shift down at the mines tomorrow, chopper leaves early in the morning so I have to stay the night at the base."

"But I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to go either, but it's only going to be for one day."

"So is someone going to replace you for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, someone will be here."

"Uh, I hate those assholes. You know how many times I've been stared at and hit on? I'm so sick of it."

"Well, you didn't seem to mind me."

"That's because you constantly weren't trying to get into my pants. You're different."

"Hmm, that's nice to know. Just don't pay him any attention and he'll leave you alone."

"Of course I won't, I've got everything I want right here."

It was an early wake up for Alan but he managed to get himself ready for a long day down at the mine. With his gear on and his rifle in his hand he got onto the Samson with the other security guards and took off. On the way he could see a never ending landscape of green with some very large trees sticking out the canopy. As they flew a group of Tetrapterons flew beside them. They were magnificent looking creatures with their beautiful shades of blue and purple, their sleek body and ferocious looking head. Alan was watching them gracefully from his seat until he heard gunfire and watched as some of the Tetrapterons were opened up with bullet holes and fell to their death. Some of the men decided it would be fun to shoot them down, a moving target is always fun, especially if it doesn't fight back. He looked over to the men who were laughing and cheering, impressed with themselves at their pathetic attempt of trying to prove themselves as tough guys, then looked back into the open. Soon they were flying over the track which went from the mine to Hell's Gate. Below Alan could see a few hell trucks making their way to the mine but none of them appeared to have a load in the back. The Samson touched down and the men hopped off, making their way straight to the command centre. Inside was where all the logistics took place, people making sure Unobtanium was being mined and delivered on schedule. The main room had a large glass screen with a timetable showing what would be arriving or leaving at what time. Alan only got a glimpse as he had to be elsewhere but he knew this was the place to come and have a look. Since it was his first day he had to be briefed on what went on at the mine and what his responsibilities were. A very quick explanation by the commander and he was ready to get out there although it was all quite a bit to take in at once but to sum it up, just keep yourself and others around you alive. Alan stepped out into the open. There was no grass, just dirt. He made his way along the perimeter of the mine to where he had been told to go. As he walked along the fence he looked down into the giant hole that was been carved into the earth. A massive excavator was scraping the walls of the hole and with every rotation of the giant rotor, thousands of tons of soil were been taken out. There was no one near his area so it was a pointless job. Looking into the forest which stopped just before the fence he could see a few stingbats hanging upside down from the tree branches, observing as these skypeople destroyed their world. If it was any other person they would've killed them all in an instant but Alan just watched them. It was turning out to be the most boring day on Pandora yet and seemed like an eternity for his break to arrive. He knew what he had to do so he made his way into the logistics room. Pretending to just look around, he did his best to mind his own business. No one seemed to care for his presence, the people just sat at their desks continuing with their boring work or did something else to kill time. He had a look at the timetable and scanned across, one row after another to see if there would be any explosives coming in. Truck 6 was due to arrive in two days at 10:45am, perfect. He found out what he needed and left the room.

The sun was setting and after a long day Alan's shift was finally over, never did he want to do that again. He entered the shack and went straight to his bed. Dropping his rifle and exopack on the floor, he fell onto the mattress. It felt so good to finally lie down after a whole day of walking around for hours. Dr. Isaac came in and sat down next to him.

"So how was it?"

"It was shit, the most boring thing I've done here. I'm never doing that again."

"Hahaha, well I'm glad you're back."

"How's my replacement been treating you?"

"Uh, he's fucking retarded. I've made it so clear to him that I'm not interested but he just doesn't get it."

"Well it's time for him to go, I'll go tell him."

Alan got up and told the man it was time for him to leave. When it was time for dinner they all gathered and asked Alan what his day at the mine was like. Tak was at his desk finishing off some final data inputting. Dr. Eileen called him to the table as they had made dinner using the lab equipment they had, nothing like a home cooked meal with Bunsen burners, beakers and gauze mats.

"Tak aren't you hungry? It's really nice."

"Yeah…I'll be there…..just need to finish this first…..done."

Tak saved his work, turned the computer off and took a seat.

"What's this?"

"It's some Yerik meat, some vegies and gravy. We got given from the other day."

Tak was starving and he dug into his meal. It tasted unbelievably delicious. It was just like a steak back on earth but with no fat around the edges and it was perfectly medium rare, just how he liked it. The topic changed from Alan's day to how they should cook more instead of eating the fake shit that sat in the fridge. After dinner Alan shared everything he found out with Tak. Dr. Eileen never knew what they were discussing together in private but she thought it was either guns or girls, typical guy stuff.

"We might be able to pull this off pretty easily, the track's just a clearing through the forest so we could easily ambush the truck. There's no security escorting the trucks to and from the mines and the trucks are very far apart."

"In that case, I say we jack those motherfuckers."

"Yeah, I wish it was that easy too, but if there's any disturbance HQ will know instantly and they'll send support. We need to keep the truck moving so they think nothing's going on. What we can do is get onto the back and offload the stuff. You can get one of your friends to fly you in from above and once you're on just throw it down to us, the explosives are just packs of plastique strapped to a detonator so they won't explode if you throw them down. There's also a guy who watches the payload so you'll have to take him out cos there's no way he won't notice you. Just get as many as possible and we get out of there."

"Sounds good, so when's this happening?"

"Two more days, a truck's meant to arrive at the mine at 10:45 so we should be at the waiting point by 10."

"10am it is….. I think for this one you should just stay here."

"Why? You still don't think I'm cut out for this stuff?"

"No no, I just need you to stay here. I don't want anyone getting suspicious as to why we're both gone all the time. Don't worry I know what to do, get on truck, offload stuff, get the fuck out of there."

"….Alright, I'll stay. But you can't fuck this up."

The day came and everyone was ready. Tak had informed Tsuwokan of the operation who then decided to ask the help of his ally. No tawtute blood would be spilled for this job but if it was going to help in defeating the skypeople then he was up for it. The nameless Na'vi leader called some of his brothers and sisters and they waited in position. Tsuwokan and Tak were looking for the truck from above. As Alan said there was one approaching the waiting point a little after 10am. They began their descent and Tak got ready to jump off. With his mask on and dirt covering parts of his face and arms he was ready to get the job done. Tsuwokan flew his banshee to the rear of the truck and as he approached it he slowed down. Tak jumped off and landed on the back. Tsuwokan quickly took off and kept watch from high above. The second operator saw one of the blue savages had landed on the back. He notified the driver and got out of the cabin to check it out. With his pistol loaded he cautiously looked around the corners of the blocks of explosives. Tak wasn't aware that he had been spotted so he started cutting the straps off. As he was about to pull out a plastique he was interrupted. "Hey! What the fuck are you doing?" he yelled with his pistol aimed at Tak. It was a risky move but Tak decided act quick and disarm him. He grabbed the pistol and tried to point it away but the man quickly reacted and pulled the trigger. The bullet went into Tak's torso, just below his chest, but it was only after he took the gun away that the pain kicked in. He ignored the sting of the bullet and threw the gun away, then picked the man up by the back of his shirt and threw him off the back. The man hit the ground and rolled, then moved slightly as if he'd just got the shit kicked out of him. He looked to his left to see the Na'vi following with their horses. He signalled them to come out and he began dropping off the packs of plastique. Two horse riders hopped off and threw the explosives into sacs as they hit the ground while the others kept an eye out for enemies with their loaded bows. When the sacs were full they returned into the forest and the Na'vi leader nodded to Tak to tell him he did a good job. Tak looked up and waved to Tsuwokan to come and pick him up. Tsuwokan manoeuvred his Ikran carefully onto the back of the truck and Tak got on. Just as they were about to take off the truck driver looked behind him, wondering why his assistant hadn't returned, to see a huge banshee taking off with two of the blue savages riding on it. He knew something was wrong but it was too late. As they headed back to meet up with their accomplices Tsuwokan noticed Tak's injury.

"You are hurt!"

"It's nothing, don't worry."

"We can help you when we return."

"It's nothing, I'll just have to wash my singlet, explain the bullet hole and hide my wound."


	25. Chapter 25

It was extremely quiet and the smell of smoke filled the air. The usual blue sky was a dull and lifeless dark grey and the forest was dead. There were no animals to be seen, not even the small creatures which dwelled on the forest floor or the trees. Tak had a feeling that something was very wrong. It was hot and he was sweating a lot. He continued to walk through the deserted forest, only able to hear his footsteps. His vision was limited by the smoke and every step he took slowly revealed what was around him. An extremely foul smell suddenly hit him but he couldn't see anything. He continued and saw what looked like a blue figure on the ground. He stopped and stared at it, then around him in suspicion. Something definitely wasn't right. Walking closer to the blue figure revealed more of them. He was finally close enough to identify what were dead Na'vi covering the ground. Their bodies had been disfigured in some way and were covered in blood and dirt. As he walked through this tomb of the mutilated he filled with anger, hatred and rage. There were adults and children, even babies, with gunshots, cuts, dismembered limbs, severed heads, bodies burnt to the crisp and some exposing internal organs. Tak spotted a child who was facing down and for some reason decided to kneel down, turn him over and look at his face. When he saw the boy he felt a pulse of anger run through his body. He was holding the dead body of Tsanten in his arms. He was going to find who was responsible for this massacre and make them suffer. Unable to do anything else, he slowly lowered his dead friend to lie on the ground. He got back up and walked around. As he asked to himself what the fuck had happened here, he found another body but this time he feared he knew who it was. An adult with their braids tied in a bunch. He went to the body, kneeled down again and turned it to face him. It was Zetey looking right at him with lifeless eyes open, blood from her mouth and multiple gunshots. Tak closed his eyes and turned away. He gripped tight of her body with his hands and arms drenched in blood as he tried to keep his composure but it was too much. He looked up at the grey sky and yelled at the top of his lungs, letting out the immense anger that filled him. It began to rain heavily with thunder roaring down. Tak looked at his friend one more time, her eyes were gold and beautiful but it only fed his hunger for revenge. Holding her, he looked at the sky again. A jolt of lightning crackled powerfully and blinded him. That's when he woke up in his bed, his heart racing and his face and back covered in sweat. He took deep breaths to try and calm down. Maybe his drug habit had transferred his hallucinations into nightmares. Wiping his face, he tried to go back to sleep.

Tak was about to go fishing with Zetey one afternoon when Tsuwokan unexpectedly interrupted and told he had to come with him. Tak didn't want to go, nor did he know what this was about but Tsuwokan never took him away so it must've been important. He went to Zetey to explain this unfortunate incident.

"Sorry but I can't hang out with you today, something came up and I have to go... like, now... so yeah..."

"Is something wrong?"

"No no, nothing really, I just need to, uh... just go help out with something... I think. I'll try to finish as soon as possible and I'll come right back, I promise."

Zetey was disappointed but she let it go, it's not like this was going to happen all the time. With a smile she nodded a goodbye and went on her own. Tak knew where to find her if he was to return. Tsuwokan began walking out of the village and Tak followed. They made their way through the forest which looked the same from any direction if you didn't know your way around and in this case Tak didn't know where they were going.

"So what the fuck is it that's so important that you had to drag me away from my awesome fishing trip?"

"Uhh, you still speak words I do not understand."

Tak closed his eyes and sighed. It was like a face palm without putting face to palm. "What are we doing?"

"He wants to speak to you."

"Who?"

"He..."

It took a while for Tak to figure out who this was but eventually he got it "Oh him, right."

They eventually arrived at the place which Tak recognized, the many huts which were setup around a central open space deep in the forest. There was smoke coming from the fire place with some of the clan members gathered around. As the two entered the village they were looked upon and the leaser approached them. With a nod to greet them, he walked with them to the fire.

"My brothers, would you like to join us?"

Tsuwokan wasn't interested so he declined the offer but Tak was starving, his stomach had been grumbling since he had woken up in the tent. He nodded and went to sit down with the others. Roasting over the fire were human limbs, the skin slowly melting away as the flesh underneath cooked. The leader handed him a forearm with the hand still intact. The fingers were charred and the skin was moist with blood and juices which oozed out. Tak took his meal by the stick which was stabbed through the bottom and spun it around while looking at it. It was just like the giant slabs of meat which roasted in the kebab stores back on earth, but not as appetising. Still, it was better than nothing so without hesitation he bit into the arm and ate away. He was so hungry that he disregarded the taste and ate like a savage beast that had just killed its prey and was feasting like there was no tomorrow, and in doing so the savage beast within him was slowly coming out. He devoured the arm of its meat and dropped the bone on the ground. He saw that no one else was helping themselves to what remained so he took half a leg and began eating. The Na'vi leader was impressed and smiled.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" asked Tak as he ate.

"I thought I was a good leader, but it seems that there is someone better than me. You know the skypeople better than any of us, after all you are one of them. I want you to lead the attack on them. We have the stuff and we have prepared ourselves, now we are waiting for your word."

"It does not work like that."

"Why?"

"If you attack now then you will be starting a war you cannot finish, you will also be putting others in danger, others who are not part of your clan. Attacking first is more than enough of an excuse for them to kill you all so you must be patient. Wait for them to strike first, then your revenge will seem understandable. It is a risk we must take."

"What if that does not work?"

"It will work."

Days past and nothing happened. Tak would wake up every morning hoping the team would receive a report of Na'vi murders but the mercs didn't step out of line. He was also still regularly having horrid dreams which he would always wake up from early in the morning which was just before he would get enough sleep but just after there was enough time for him to get enough rest. When this happened he would feel tired during the day, unable to fully concentrate on what he had to do. Daily life was becoming a drag and he wanted it to end but everyday he would grind his way through. Getting into his Avatar was now the easy part of the day since he would feel refreshed and was ready to get out and do stuff. All those days running through the forest with Zetey were showing through as he could now keep up with her a lot easier. He was also getting to know the place very well and at the same time getting up and close with a lot of the plants and animals. Every day was like a field trip with the greatest teacher any student could ask for who would let them go anywhere and see, even touch, anything they wanted to. Dr. Eileen had also been spending time with Tsuwokan, picking up where they had last stopped with the English lessons. She couldn't tell if he was enjoying their time together but one thing was for sure, he was a good student, patient and always willing to learn. Even though he never smiled or showed signs of having fun, he was determined and never gave up and that's why he was her favourite student ever since day one. Tak was practicing his scales and sweep picking one night when Dr. Eileen had some exciting news for him.

"Watcha doin there guitar master?"

"Uuh... not much."

"So, I just talked with Dr. Augustine, and since we're the only ones out here she wants me to do some field work for her and I was wondering if you would like to come along." she said sounding very cheerful.

"What is it?"

"We're going to follow the river past the FEBA base which will take us to a direhorse grazing site. Grace wants me to do a population count and record some stuff, I guess she's concerned because the wildlife in that area hasn't been checked on in a while. It's a hot spot for those assholes to go hunting in."

"Nice."

"Yeah and you know what, it's actually near where the Tipikaya are so if we're lucky we might meet a few of them. Well I've never actually got to know them so they may not be so friendly, I mean we don't want a repeat of what...happened to you and..."

It went silent for a bit until Dr. Eileen thought of something to say.

"Well anyway it would be great if you came along, it's always safer to go with someone rather than yourself."

"...when?"

"Oh, could be anytime, even tomorrow."

"...alright."

"Great! Then we'll go tomorrow."

Morning finally came and Dr. Eileen got up to get ready. Even before her breakfast which included a coffee she was fully awake and couldn't wait to get out there. She went over to Tak and woke him up as well although it was a bit early. He ignored her the first few times until she ripped off his bed blanket and got right in his ear to tell him "WAKE UP". By the time he was ready to go everyone had also woken up and the links were running. Tak went to his which was next to his desk and lied down. When he woke up he could still taste yesterday's meal in his mouth. The meaty taste and some of the muscle fibres still stuck in between his teeth. He removed them with his fingers and spat it out. After packing their backpacks the two of them headed off and on the way Dr. Eileen talked about the direhorses of the area they were going to. They decided to stick to the side which was opposite the base as they didn't want to attract any attention from the mercs as they walked past. Although they couldn't be harmed as members of the AVTR program, there was always the possibility that they would be "mistaken for one of them". They reached the FEBA base and luckily their side still retained the rich forest. As they walked past it Tak examined it. He had never seen it from this side of the river and couldn't help but to think how misplaced it looked, it was as if it was just dropped from above. They continued their way when they could hear the sound of engines roaring towards them. They hid behind some plants and watched from cover as the sound got louder. Three Gators came roaring down the river loaded with armed men. Dr. Eileen didn't like the looks of this. She began to lose her composure.

"What the fuck are they doing here?" she said in an aggressive tone.

"Hopefully not what I'm thinking."

"Fucking heartless bastards... I don't feel like going anymore."

"What, so you just want to go back?"

"What's the point? They're probably all dead!"

"You don't know that, let's just go see for ourselves."

They both agreed to continue ahead. Dr. Eileen dreaded that her direhorses had been massacred and were now lying dead in a field of blood. For the rest of the walk she was silent. When they reached the field there were no direhorses in sight. Dr. Eileen's heart sank but she decided to search the area just to be sure. Tak went into the growth of trees to find a few licking nectar out of pitcher plants. He observed them as they enjoyed the sweet golden syrup, seeming fine with his presence. One looked at him for a while resuming its business. Dr. Eileen found Tak with the direhorses and was relieved that they were unharmed.

"Oh, thank god they're ok. I was really worried they'd been killed."

"I guess they were just staying out of the sun, it's pretty hot today."

"Yeah, well then more of them are probably doing the same. We should look around here. I'll just add these guys to the count."

She took out her clipboard and put them on the count and proceeded to write down some points. They looked healthy and showed no signs of tawtute inflicted injuries. After recording enough information the two moved on in search for more direhorses. They moved deeper into the forest and found a large group of them resting within a field of beautiful plants. They were surrounded by flowers and larger plants with all their lush and vibrant colours, standing out in a background composed of many shades of green and brown. Beams of light would shoot through pockets in the canopy and light up patches on the ground. Tak was overwhelmed by how beautiful and peaceful this place was. One plant which got Tak's attention was the Chalice, a very large pitcher plant which has a pink opening and lid with a purple tube. The sweet smell of its nectar was strong and irresistible to some creatures which would be drawn to it and fall into the opening, unable to get out and slowly be digested by the enzymes in the nectar. Dr. Eileen counted the direhorses while Tak went around checking their outside for injuries, then both went around measuring them and distinguishing whether they were males or females. By looking for certain characteristics they could also tell which were foals and which were adults. After their job was done they sat down amongst the direhorses and relaxed, looking at the natural beauty that surrounded them. They began discussing the habitat and eventually got to talking about the Pa'li's love for the nectar.

"It's really sweet, trust me you'll love it" she said, and so Tak dipped his finger in a pitcher plants and licked the nectar. It was beautiful and he couldn't resist but to try more. Soon his mouth and fingers were covered in the stuff and a nearby horse smelt the scent off his face and began licking him.

"Hey stop! Bad horse! Get away, stop licking me!"

"Ahahahahaha! He likes you."

It was always nice to get out of the lab and immerse themselves into Pandora but after all they were here to do a job, not to mention for head scientist Dr. Augustine, so they didn't spend too much time sitting down. They decided to travel across the grass field and follow the river which would lead them into the Tipikaya's hunting grounds. It was amazing how much the landscape changed during their journey. From the FEBA to here, the ground would steadily elevate into small hills with some rocks and eventually become tall cliffs covered in moss and vines. In the distance Tak could see a green valley with rocky cliffs sticking out and looking up in the sky were colonies of floating mountains. The blue sky with some clouds added the finishing touch for what was the perfect shot. Too bad he didn't bring the camera because this was priceless. As he took in the amazing view a small smile was forming on his face. Dr. Eileen caught him in one of his rare moments where he was actually happy.

"You like this place?"

"I love it."

"It's amazing isn't it? Some people just don't know what they're missing out on... My love for this world will never end."

"Yeah, and I guess mine's just getting started."

"Sure is, there's so much more."

"Like the floating mountains up there?"

"Yep, those truly are magnificent. Maybe one day you'll get to go up there and see for yourself just how amazing they are, not to mention the view you get."

They entered the forest again and searched for more Pa'li but none were in sight. The growth of plants was quite thick and they were doubting whether the horses would come this far but still they searched the area. With the numbers they had counted Dr. Augustine would be disappointed so they continued their search.

"So far we've got 28, I really was hoping to find more because this place is so perfect for the Pa'li. Some of them must've migrated to somewhere else."

"Yeah, or maybe those dickheads scared them away."

"It's such a shame. God I hate those assholes, I want to punch them in their fucking faces. Especially that guy that wanted to fight you in the cafeteria, remember?"

"Ofcourse, what's his name?"

"Terry, Rolfe Terry. I know because he once accompanied me and some other Avatars. We were doing some field work when some Tetrapterons woke up from the branches above. He and his gang killed them all because he said they became hostile. I'll never forget that son of a bitch."

They were aimlessly walking around and came to a wall of vines and roots. Thinking it was another dead end they decided to turn back when Dr. Eileen heard a faint sound.

"You hear that?"

"...Yeah, sounds like someone's crying."

They broke their way through only to find a horrific site, a group of Na'vi had been killed. This was no accident or natural death, this was a massacre and the bullet holes in the bodies said so. Dr. Eileen looked in horror and shock as tears slowly built up but she was unable to say anything. Her heart was pounding and she was trembling. In the middle of it all was a young Na'vi girl crying as she held in her arms another dead girl. Her tears fell onto her dead friend and mixed with the blood. Dr. Eileen felt immense agony but Tak only felt anger, the type of anger which drives you over the edge and makes you want to kill, and with that he knew who to kill. All he had to do to be exact was to find out who was on the three boats that passed him along the river. Unable to do anything he decided to return with Dr. Eileen. He held her by the shoulders and gently pulled her away.

"There's nothing we can do now, let's just go back."

When they woke up in the shacks Dr. Eileen's emotionless face soon turned into one of anger and sadness. Her crying was unexplainable to the others but it wasn't a good sign. Dr. Brent comforted her while asking what happened but once she had calmed down she ignored his question and went straight to her desk to try and establish a video conversation with Colonel Hilton. He appeared on her screen and despite how she felt, her anger was too much and she didn't know what to say.

"Dr. are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"You're goddamn fucking right something's wrong. What did they do this time? Tell me! Tell right fucking now!"

"If you don't calm down then I'm just going to end this, it's your call."

She took a few deep breaths and regained her composure before continuing.

"...I just got back from doing some field work and what I saw was definitely no accident. A whole group of Na'vi shot dead and you're telling me to calm down, I'll calm down after you tell me what your reasons for that were!"

"I never gave any orders for such actions! Do not be so quick to start pointing fingers!"

"Bullshit Hilton! Your pets won't make a move unless you order them to, I know because I saw three boats loaded with men returning to the FEBA base as I was heading there so don't bullshit me!"

Colonel Hilton put his face in his hands as his day had just got a lot shittier. When it seemed like it was going to be just another average day someone accuses him of ordering a massacre on the natives which he knows absolutely nothing about. He wasn't going to deal with this over a video conversation because that always resulted in a never ending argument.

"...I'm sending a pilot to pick you up. You and anyone else who was with you comes."

And with that he ended the conversation.

The sun was setting and the sky filled with orange. As Dr. Eileen watched Alpha Centuri A sink into the horizon the sickening feeling she felt when she saw the horror earlier in the day returned as she couldn't get it off her mind. For the whole trip the both of them were silent. When they landed at Hell's Gate they went to the Colonel's office in the control tower to see the Colonel sitting at his desk with Sergeant Terry standing in front of the desk, they wondered why he was here.

"Finally, you're here. Now we can begin discussing this matter. So Dr. why don't you begin with what happened?"

"Why is he here?"

"Well Sergeant Terry here was one of the few who went up the river. I've brought him here as I would like to hear both sides of the story."

Dr. Eileen frowned then slowly snarled at him as her breathing got heavier.

"You...you motherfucker, you motherfucker! You motherfucker! I'll fucking kill you, I'll fucking kill you you son of a bitch!" she yelled as she had lost all control of her emotions and lunged at him, throwing a punch and striking him in the face. She grabbed onto him and hit him as hard as she could while he tried to defend himself. Tak just stood and watched, he wasn't going to do shit to stop this, so Colonel Hilton had to jump from behind his desk and restrain her. He held on to her tight and she eventually calmed down and dropped to the floor crying. Security came rushing in and she was taken to the holding cell. Hilton sat back down while Terry wiped the blood from his nose.

"Next time don't hesitate to restrain your colleagues, now where were we... tell me exactly what happened."

"Well, me and doc were on our way to do some field work s asked by Dr. Augustine, and as we were walking along the river we heard boats approaching so we hid behind some plants and-"

"Why did you do that?"

"...because these retards are too fucking stupid to tell as apart from the natives, we probably would've been shot at."

"Go on."

"...We see three boats loaded with armed men heading back to base, and knowing you people have a history of killing the wildlife for fun, we thought the direhorses we were meant to observe might have been killed."

"And you're certain that they were armed?"

"Yeah, I'm certain."

"Ok, continue."

"So we get to the site and we find the direhorses unharmed, and after we finish there we decide to go to another place. We enter the forest and hear a faint sound of someone crying. We get closer to the sound, and we see a group of Na'vi all shot dead."

"...Is that all?...Alright, sergeant, care to explain what happened? There's no doubt that you were there, I have confirmed reports that three boats were taken and you were on one of them."

"Yeah, we took three gators up there."

"What were you doing there?"

"The motors had just been fixed so we decided to take em' for a run."

"And why were there so many of you?"

"They got to be able to function with a full load."

"...Go on."

"So we continue up and see a group of them, a uh, hunting party perhaps. They were armed so we got ready to bring the pain."

"...Did you shoot first?"

"No sir, we were engaged. We were sitting ducks out there so we had to return fire."

"Why didn't you just retreat?"

"Well sir, you can't turn those boats around in an instance."

Hilton did his best to take everything into consideration to make it fair as possible. He was having difficulty believing Terry's story but the lack of evidence wasn't enough to punish him. He sighed and rubbed his face as he was getting tired.

"...Alright sergeant, I've heard enough. I'll be further discussing this another time but for now you're dismissed."

Terry gave Tak a smirk before leaving. Tak could've killed him with his bare hands on the spot but he didn't react. He remained where he was stood.

"I understand how you must feel about this, but I've done my best to listen to both sides and there's nothing more I can do. I'm sorry, but in the end my job is to keep people safe, and if that means dismissing the death of a few natives for the sake of not starting a war then so be it. If I could discuss some sort of deal or treaty with them I would, I really would."

Now Tak gave Hilton a smirk.

"It's too late, the 11th hour's passed."

Tak and Dr. Eileen returned early the next morning after a night at Hell's Gate and as soon as they got there Tak sat down on his bed. Alan came, wanting to know what had happened but Tak wasn't going to talk with the others gathered so Alan asked the others to leave.

"Hey what happened? Did they find who did it?"

"...We do this now, and you're coming with me."

"...Ok, ok."

"Get some casual clothes, a hat and the security pass. Meet me outside."

He went to his link and into his Avatar. The others thought it was just his introvert way of dealing with the situation, escaping for a few hours of alone time, but he had other plans. Alan explained to them that it was protocol for all non military personal to be escorted at all times. Tak found Tsuwokan at hometree and without explaining told him that it was going to happen. Without gathering his two best warriors he followed Tak out and they got weapons from the secret stash. With the 50 cal. Hydra in his hands, the grenade launcher around his shoulder, his pockets filled with grenades and his war mask on they moved out. On their way Tak explained things to tsuwokan and once they reached their secret allies and explained to them that now was time for war, a small army was quickly formed. The explosives were loaded onto direhorses and they moved out. This was a lot for Alan to take in as he hadn't been introduced to Tak's new friends. They all stopped before entering the open. Alan got changed into his casual clothes.

"Go in and do your best to disable the turrets and open the gate if possible. Just try to figure it out and once you do, stay there. Keep your head down and don't attract attention. No eye contact, and keep your hat down."

"What if I can't?"

"I'll open it myself."

Alan understood what to do. He made his way to the control room. With every step inside the building his heart pounded as he did his best to not crumble under the intense pressure. Although there was hardly anyone walking the corridors it felt like everywhere eyes watched him. Meanwhile Tak was preparing the explosives, opening the packs of explosives and stuffing a grenade into the packs then setting the timer to eight seconds. As he explained the plan the warriors gathered.

"When I give the sign you will place these around the place, I will tell you where. Once you do you pull this out. After you pull it out you do not have much time before it explodes, so run as far away as you can. We will kill all the skypeople first then place these around the place. You saw my friend, do not attack him."

And so they waited for Alan to do his part who was now entering the control room. There weren't many people and a few looked at him they weren't concerned. He sat down at an unused computer and looked at the security pass, entered the name and the password. It took a while but the account was still active. He proceeded to figuring out how to disable the defence system. He had actually done a little bit of this sort of stuff back on earth when he was part of a number of missions which required infiltrating bases and shutting down the defences but this was trickier. The war party waited patiently, watching the turrets scan the open, then suddenly they stopped and the gate opened. They charged in and killed anyone they saw. Soon the base was on alert and all military personnel were outside, outnumbered and unable to put up a good fight. Tak blew open the entrance to the main building with the grenade launcher and the Pandoran air poured in. The people inside panicked and were running around so Alan took this opportunity to blend in and make his escape. Tak saw him run out the other gate but no one else followed so he had decided to bring the place down with the people inside, it would save time and ammo. There wasn't much to take cover behind and some of the Na'vi had suffered wounds but kept fighting. Tak went to another exit and waited for it to open. As soon as it did, mercs came out and he wasted them with the uranium tipped rounds which shredded them to pieces. The rounds went through a whole squad and they fell like dominos in the doorway. Once the fighting stopped he signalled for the explosives and they were soon brought out. As he waited he looked around to see slain bodies around the base with arrows sticking out and severed limbs and heads. Some had been gutted with entrails left hanging out. Whether they were armed or not, they were to all die. Tak was handed an explosive which he detonated and threw into the main entrance. He ran to the middle of the base and watched as it exploded and from inside, the whole building collapsed. Glass from the control tower exploded and smoke and dust blew out. Tak then told others to take out the hanger and the medical centre. The explosives were placed on the fuel tanks and the explosion was the largest and loudest any Na'vi had witnessed. The medical centre was last to go, but there was still work to do. Tak got a group to help him push the boats onto land. They pushed them into the base and once they were lined up, Tak dumped an explosive on them. The same was done with the SWANs and with a final explosion it was finally over. After years of bloodshed the FEBA had finally been taken back, and justice for all who had suffered. Tak held his gun high and his war party yelled in victory. The atmosphere was one like never before, it felt like they're voices moved the skies above them and echoed throughout Pandora, letting the skypeople know their time was coming to an end. Alan got chills down his spine. He got changed and they all left and returned to their separate homes. When Tak awoke he laid in the link and took in what he had just accomplished. A major victory indeed, but what this would lead to he didn't know. As Alan came through the door Dr. Isaac rushed to him.

"Oh thank god you're ok. I was so worried."

"I'm ok, I'm fine."

"It was getting late and then we heard explosions in the distance. What happened?"

"I don't know but we heard them to."

"I'm just glad you're safe."

With no one watching they shared a kiss and held each other for a while.

That night it was Dr. Eileen who had been quiet. She had barely talked for the whole day and had been drinking heavily to try and get rid of the horrific images in her head. With a bottle of whiskey she stumbled to the bath room and fell next to the toilet. She leaned over the seat and closed her eyes. The images of the dead Na'vi shot dead and covered in blood made her sick to her stomach and she threw up. It was late and it had been a long day. Dr. Dale and Brent decided to go to sleep. Dr. Isaac then sat down on Alan's lap and they hugged. Seeing Dr. Eileen look like absolute shit was unsettling and she didn't like it. She was used to seeing a happy, bright and enthusiastic woman with a never ending smile, not a depressed drunk who tried to drink her problems away. With all this going on, Tak just sat at his desk thinking of the victory he shared with his brothers and sisters.


	26. Chapter 26

Dr. Eileen woke up in her bed with a massive headache. The foul aftertaste of alcohol and vomit polluted her mouth and it felt yuck. She rubbed her eyes and her vision slowly cleared to see Tak walking through the doorway. He walked over and sat down on her bed next to her.

"...What happened last night?"

"You tried to finish that bottle of whiskey and then threw up in the toilet while crying so I held you up to the sink so you could wash your mouth out and then threw you into bed."

"...I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry, you've been nice to me for the past two months so this was the least I could do."

"What about the others? What are they up to?"

"Working, or at least pretending to work, bunch of lazy fuckers."

Dr. Eileen smiled and patted his hand.

"Thanks for taking care of me."

"Like I said, it's nothing, but now it's time you take care of them. They won't get anything done unless you're there so get up and have a shower, you look and smell like shit."

Letting out a small laugh she slowly got up and walked to the shower. Tak went back to his desk to see the others still doing nothing but talking to each other. Some days it felt like he did absolutely everything and he was sick of it. Alan pulled up next to him in a chair.

"Well, now that everyone knows the FEBA base is gone and we haven't been questioned over it I guess we can take time to relax." said Tak as he stained a few samples with iodine.

"Yeah...I guess we can."

"What's wrong with you?"

"...I can't stop thinking of yesterday. I was disabling the turrets when one of them saw me, he tried to stop me and the others soon noticed. It just felt like something inside me took control and I killed them, all."

"You did what you had to do."

"You know I barely slept last night?"

"You can cry all you want about it but what's been done has been done, so don't be such a pussy."

"Easy for you to say, you don't feel anything...and I never knew you had so many friends, got yourself a little army."

"You met them before, you forget?"

"I don't remember there being that many of them, you've never actually properly introduced me to them."

"Well now you know."

Dr. Eileen was feeling better physically but she still had emotions trapped inside her and she needed to let them out. Her memories of the horror were still fresh and she wanted them gone but didn't know what to do, she just wanted to cry. Being trapped in a shack didn't help so she decided to escape for a while in her other body. As she walked through the peaceful forest which surrounded her she anticipated stumbling upon a dead animal or even a dead Na'vi and it was hell. She continuously looked around in paranoia, thinking the RDA was watching her. Extremely unsettled she stopped and sat down with her back against a tree, she had walked so far that she didn't even know where she was. With her head in her hands she closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind but it only made it worse. She could still see the blood covered bodies and hear the cry of the lone survivor. Tears began running down her face as she sat helpless, her emotions eating her away. All she could hear was her weeping. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She stopped weeping and looked up to see Tsuwokan kneeling in front of her with a concerned look on his face. She felt calm for a little while and got up on her knees to slowly hug him and when he reached out to hug her she broke into tears again. She hugged him tightly, frightened and in complete disarray like a child who had lost their parent.

"I know what happened." said Tsuwokan softly as he tried to calm her down.

"It was horrible, I can't stop thinking about it." Her voice was unsteady as her emotions took over.

"You are safe now."

"But what about those who died? It's too late for them, and what about their families? What if they get blamed for what happened yesterday?...There's nothing I can do to bring them back."

"It is not your fault."

He was right, it wasn't her fault, but it would be partly his if the wrong people ended up paying the price for his actions. He stood up and pulled Dr. Eileen up with him after she had settled down and wiped her tears.

"I must return, there are things to do."

"...Yeah, ok."

With a smile and a gentle pat on her shoulder he picked up his bow and returned. Dr. Eileen had been his shoulder to cry on in the past and now he was returning the favour. She felt better and so she decided to return.

Back at the shack Tak was reading a message he had received from Yuki.

"Hi Tak, how are you? OMG did you hear about what happened at the FEBA? The military base was completely destroyed and everyone there was killed! They think explosives were used and suspect it wasn't the Na'vi who planned it, everyone's saying it's that traitor. You're not too far from there so you probably heard the explosion or saw the smoke. I just hope things between us and them don't get out of control.

Anyway, you also probably know that RDA setup a new biochemical weapons department. They assigned a team of scientists to work at a new lab in the middle of nowhere and I was one of them, so lame. So here I am in this shit hole, trying to find new ways for people back on earth to kill each other. At least it'll reduce the world population LOL. But this place is just dead. The vehicles have ripped out all the grass and now it's just rocks and mud, no plants, just heavy machinery. The grass returns and there's actually beautiful forest and water in the area but we can't go there, we have to stay here. Oh yeah, next to our lab are a few barracks and we have to live with these dumbass military douches! I hate it, we all do. This isn't what I came here to do! Well, at least you're having an awesome time.

By the way I've got a Samson just for the science team and I can use it anytime so if you ever need anything airlifted or need to go somewhere just ask me, I'd love to get away from here sometime. Well, talk to you later. Kiyevame (as the Na'vi say hahaha)

Yuki"

Yesterday had been a bad day for the Colonel and he hoped today wouldn't be worse. After finding out the RDA had lost control of a crucial area it was nothing but yelling and insults from Parker while under the pressure of trying to figure out what the hell he should do about the situation. It was humiliating to face his colleagues after this defeat but it was a wakeup call. The Colonel was no pacifist, sometimes he saw that war was the only way to end things and although he didn't believe in unnecessary violence he did whatever had to be done to finish the job. But this time was different, the enemy had managed to seriously wound him and there was no way he could be found, nor was it clear when his next attack would be. Siding with the Na'vi was pretty much a home field advantage and knowing the RDA's activities just made it easier. He sat at his desk and decided to have a drink, something he rarely did. With a drink in his hand he leaned back in his chair and thought about what to next. It took him a while but he eventually came to realize that in this case, violence solved nothing. Over the years he had learned that the Na'vi are a tough and stubborn race, willing to do anything to avenge the death of their brothers and sisters. Since day one of his time on Pandora it had been nonstop back and forth battles but ultimately he would be the one to make this decision. He called Dr. Augustine to his office.

"I'm busy so make this quick." she said in an aggressive tone.

"...You know, I can't believe it's taken me this long to make this decision."

"Stop wasting my time."

"About yesterday's events, I just don't know what else to do. All these years of constant wars and it finally took that to make me realize this isn't doing anything."

"What are you getting at?"

"...The Na'vi want a war, well I'm not going to give them one. I've lost too many people over the past years, way too many. It's just not worth it. They expect me to strike back, well it's not going to happen. My job is to keep people alive and I haven't been doing that."

"So what does this have to do with me?"

"...I never thought I would say this but, I need your help."

"My help?"

"Yes, your help. I need you to make sure it stays this way."

"And exactly how am I supposed to do that?"

"You and your team of Avatars is all we have to keep what little peace exists between us and them, I want that peace to grow and only you can make that happen."

"Really? Then how about you stop mining this place, I'm sure they'd greatly appreciate that."

"Doc, please be realistic with me. And besides, without the money coming in from the mining your Avatar program wouldn't exist, ok? Now what I'm proposing is for you and your team to explain to the natives what I'm offering. Talk to their leaders, talk to everyone if possible, go anywhere you can. I want this to go as smoothly as possible so my men will be put under more strict orders, and I would like to put you in command. You see any of them step out of line, you report them. Take the gun out of their hands if necessary, I just want this to succeed."

"...Alright, I'll do it. But it's not going to do much, and if any of your goons try anything funny, don't come crying to me when they end up dead."

"Thankyou Dr. Augustine, you may now leave."

Letting out a sigh of relief, he poured himself another drink.

The next few days were busy as Dr. Eileen had recovered physically and mentally from her horrific experience and so she made sure everyone was doing their jobs. They had received the message from Dr. Augustine in regards to the major operation which was to be conducted by the Avatar program in efforts to try and restore peace and planned on carrying it out soon. With the major occupancy of the RDA gone in the area, getting out for work or leisure was a lot more enjoyable as they didn't have to worry about running into unnecessary trouble. However when one problem ended, another one always seemed to arise. Over the months that Tak had been working with his group, he had come to learn not only of the poor productivity of his colleagues but their lack of respect for others' property and workspace. He had been disregarding it but couldn't take it anymore when one morning he returned to his desk to see all his cover slips gone and iodine spilt on his papers. He looked around to see Dr. Isaac examining a specimen through her microscope while chatting with Alan. He went to her and turned off the light to her microscope.

"Hey what are you doing?"

"What the fuck is this? And where the fuck are all my cover slips?"

"Why don't you just calm down?"

"Why don't you just not fucking touch my stuff? And how about not spilling shit on my papers?"

Alan decided to step in and try to calm them both down.

"Hey hey let's just settle d-"

"No Alan just shut the fuck up because this doesn't concern you. I'm fucking sick of you stealing my shit and not cleaning up after the fucking mess you make, it's fucken bullshit."

"When have I ever stolen anything from you? Tell me, tell me!"

"You always take my stuff and never return it, I always have to find it and clean it myself. My scalpel is always dirty, my probe is always dirty, my tweezers are always dirty, everything's always fucken dirty because of you."

"Yeah I borrowed it, I never stole it! And if you weren't so fucking impatient I would've cleaned it and returned it you asshole!"

"Bitch just shut up before I kill you."

"You wanna kill me? Do it! I dare you!"

Dr. Eileen had returned from exercising outside to hear arguing in the lab. As she walked through the doorway Tak grabbed a scalpel from Dr. Isaac's desk and pressed her face against the wall, holding the scalpel to her face. Everyone lunged at him, trying to pull him away but Tak held the weapon tightly and refused to budge. Dr. Isaac wasn't acting so tough now, Tak could see the fear in her eye as she breathed heavily.

"You're really starting to fucken piss me off, I was really patient with you all but my patience has run out."

Dr. Eileen gently put her hand on Tak's weapon wielding arm and looked at him.

"Put it down Tak, no one needs to get hurt, ok?...We all get angry sometimes, it happens. But no one needs to get hurt, so just let her go, please?"

Her soft gentle voice managed to calm him down and he lowered the scalpel, dropping it on the table and letting Dr. Isaac go. She had pushed him over the edge because he had never used such force against a woman. He went to his bed while Dr. Eileen staid standing against the wall, still in shock. Tears of fear trickled down her face as Alan tried to comfort her. Dr. Eileen couldn't believe this had happened and she wasn't sure if Tak should continue working with her group. He was the best researcher she had but if things continued the way they were then someone would die. After an hour of thinking she contacted the new weapons development lab and had a chat with the person in charge.

Tak had his bag packed and was sitting on his bed, waiting for his ride to arrive.

"I'm sorry but I don't know what else to do, I just think you need to leave here for a while. Don't think I'm singling you out, I know your reasons for being mad and I'll talk to them about that. But for now I just think it's best for you to be separate from the others. You'll still be able to use your Avatar since they have some mobile links there."

When the Samson finally arrived Tak put on his exopack and headed out. As Dr. Eileen watched the Samson take off and fly out of the forest she hoped that he didn't get into anymore trouble. Sitting next to Yuki in the cockpit he took off his mask and looked out the window as they flew over the landscape.

"So how come you're moving in with us?"

"Because I threatened the stupid bitch I have to work with, my supervisor says I need to leave for a while."

"Oh, why'd you do that?"

"She takes my instruments and never cleans them, she takes all my cover slips, she spills shit on my papers, she talks shit and she does nothing just like the others. Just a bunch of useless cunts."

"Sounds like you don't have the greatest bunch of people to work with."

"No... So where are we going anyway?"

"Just a place not too far from here. It's on the edge of a huge lake but don't get your hopes up, it's a dump. It literally looks like a pile of shit."

"Isn't that's nice."

Eventually they could see the forest slowly disappearing across the land as they approached the site. Trees became grass and grass became dirt as they began their descent into the camp.

"Well this is it, welcome to sludge city."

He looked below at the manmade site which seemed so out of place. The ground was brown and looked wet with not a single bit of green in sight. Heavy machinery lied around the place reminding him of the junkyards back on earth. Pipes supplying water looked like parasitic organisms feeding off lake, slowly sucking up the life from the area. The multiple parked vehicles along with the portable fuel cells and barracks reminded him of the FEBA base. The whole place just looked dead and was now inhabited by humans like maggots living off a rotting corpse. They landed on what was meant to be the helipad and got out. As Tak stepped off his feet landed in partly dry mud and with every footstep he could feel the squishy ground below him as he made his way to the lab. When he got to the top of the yellow staircase he looked at the view which really had nothing to offer, just a patch of land with water and a blue sky. He went inside and Yuki showed him his bed which he threw his bag on, then they went to the lab where Tak would be working for a while. Yuki introduced Tak to her colleagues but they weren't very welcoming, just the way Tak preferred it. Tak was already getting a feeling that his time here was going to be long and boring, good thing there was a link for him. He decided to go and recalibrate it for his Avatar and showed Yuki some things in case her help was needed, she wasn't a qualified supervisor but the basics weren't too hard to learn.

"So...yeah, not much to do around here."

"Good thing I can get into my Avatar and escape this place."

"But don't you want to help me with my work?"

"No, not really."

And with those last words Tak finished setting up the link and got in. Yuki sighed and sat down at her desk, wondering why she never got to have any fun. Waking up in the tent, Tak stretched his body and headed out. He tried to walk aimlessly as usual when he just wanted to be completely alone and not think about anything but found himself following the rivers which were spread throughout the FEBA. He would randomly choose where to turn and which new stream to follow, hoping that eventually he would be completely lost and find a secluded place just for himself. After minutes of walking he heard the sound of falling water and came to a place which he instantly recognized, a waterfall ending in a deep pool surrounded by an abundance of plants. "Oh, this place" he said to himself as he had returned to the place where he had his first swim. He pushed his way through some plants to uncover someone already occupying his place and again, he recognized this person by their braids tied together in a bunch.

"You found my spot." he said as he sat down beside her. Zetey turned around seeming a bit surprised. She eventually forced a bit of a smile.

"You come here too?" he asked.

"Yes, I find this place when I was child. I come here when I want to be alone."

"This is only my second time here, I came here for the same reason...Something wrong?"

Zetey dropped her head towards the ground seeming disappointed.

"Sometimes people make me mad... My friends say I change, they say before I hate tawtute and uniltiranyu but now no more, because I meet you. Mother say I have become someone else, she say my father would not be happy if he was still alive. "

"...You mad at me?"

"Kehe, you do nothing bad. But I want...I do not know the words."

"Well I get what you're saying. Sometimes people make me mad too. Selfish, lazy, useless people who think they're never wrong. You try to be patient with them but even that's not enough. Every second you put up with them builds up inside you until it just all comes out..."

It was a relief for both of them to talk to someone who felt the same way. The frustration was slowly being let go through their conversation.

"...You wanna go for a walk?"

"Srane."

They made their way through the giant space filled with plants and creatures of all shapes, sizes and colours. Walking through the never ending network of calmly flowing rivers encapsulated in a massive hall of exotic life was something that would relax anyone no matter how stressed or angry they were. The sights and sounds of the forest gave the place an immense sense of purity and perfection, everything was in balance with each other. Whether it was flowing water or animals calling to each other or rustling plants, everything pushed Tak deeper into ecstasy as he was fixed in a trance by what surrounded him. He looked down to see his feet in water with ripples moving away from them. Tiny fish swam away with every step as he marvelled at the delicate life which thrived even within the shallow waters below him. Zetey looked at him as he fascinated over the small creatures and smiled, seeing him get excited over something simple as fishes was like seeing a child's mind operating a man's body at its best. She kicked some water onto his leg to get his attention. The water was cool and refreshing. Tak decided to take off his shoes and socks and feel the water with his bare feet. His feet instantly cooled and as he stood there taking in the great feeling, the fishes returned around his ankle as if they were observing something. For the first time Tak actually felt at peace. Everything that had happened within his time on this world he forgot about and just continued to enjoy the great feeling he felt. They continued walking and would come across giant tree roots covered in moss and small plants which would grow in and out of the ground in a bizarre fashion, forming bridges and arches for them to walk over and under like children on a playground. As they hopped from tree roots to the ground and then into the water, Zetey began to slow down, then eventually stopped. Tak noticed and looked behind to see her standing with her smile gone. He then looked in the direction he was going to notice the trees were disappearing, they were near the FEBA base. He walked back to her.

"What's wrong?"

"...I said I will never return here."

"It's ok, it's over. This place is free now. You don't have to worry anymore."

"Yes, but..."

Tak took her hand and slowly pulled.

"Trust me."

He waited patiently for her to move and although she knew the skypeople had been defeated, she was still living in fear. She looked at Tak with an uncertain look and he smiled, assuring her there was nothing to be afraid of. With that, she took a slow step and gradually built up the courage to enter the place she had doomed for a long time. As they walked through the side gate, the turrets greeted them as if they were still alive, looking down upon them with their barrels. The grass turned into a hard, lifeless surface. Zetey had never stepped on such a thing and it sent chills down her back. Scattered across the place were dead bodies in dried puddles of blood. Debris was blown across the ground and the buildings that once were now laid as large piles of rubble, still smoking from their destruction. The smell of blood, urine, faeces, fuel and smoke filled the place and was near unbearable. It was scary to stand in the place which had been feared for years. Zetey walked to a nearby body and looked at it. A dead woman still with her exopack stared right back at Zetey. Looking into the lifeless eyes, she felt no pity for this innocent victim, just a build up of anger as she remembered all the people of her clan who died because of this place. Tears slowly crept as she kneeled down closer to this woman. She took off the exopack and looked down in despise, a human in its true form. No exopack, no gun, nothing to protect it, just a weak and pathetic excuse of life. But then she came to realize that, like her friends who did nothing to deserve their deaths, this woman may have done nothing either. She was just a woman, no weapons, no military gear. From what little Zetey knew this woman could have been a mother just trying to provide for her children, just like the mothers in her clan. She was then reminded that not all the skypeople are bad, and for this one she was in no position to make judgements. She closed the woman's eye lids with her fingers, giving closure to her death, then stood up and began heading for the gate they came through. Tak watched the whole thing and it amazed him how one could feel so much hatred and anger towards their enemy yet in the end manage to find a bit of empathy for them, something he could never do. He took one last look at the dead woman and turned to leave.

The two spent hours exploring the area and managed to make their way up a rocky hill. When they reached the top they got an amazing view of the forest which stretched into the horizon along with rivers which made their way randomly through all the green. Hometrees could be seen sticking out of the forest canopy along with valleys, cliffs and some waterfalls. In the sky were colonies of floating mountains which sat majestically in a sea of clouds. They were like giant floating islands connected by bridges of vines and roots. It was too much for Tak, there was so much he wanted to say about this place but couldn't even manage to squeeze out a single word. Zetey could clearly see he had completely fallen in love with everything. As the sun began to set, Zetey decided to ask Tak more about his home.

"Tell me more about your home."

"This is my home."

They both shared a bit of a laugh but Tak knew what she meant.

"Well, it's nothing special. I lived with my parents in a small apartment just enough for three people. The only things you could hear were the noisy fucking people around you, the train or my parents arguing. I had all my stuff crammed into a tiny room with no windows, just a box with a door. You go outside and the building was always surrounded by rubbish. There was always a crack head passed out on the stairs, or some guy beating the shit out of a woman, or people yelling and fighting, it was a bad place... That's why I love this world, because it's beyond everything I've always dreamed of."

They sat on the hill as Tak told Zetey more about the world he came from while they watched the sun set. The orange glow slowly retreated across the forest back to the horizon and before they realized it was night, but a new light took over as Polyphemus shined its many shades many of blue onto Pandora. Bioluminescent colours lit up the forest and the rivers were dotted with light by the organisms in the water. As much as he wanted to stay longer, he was concerned for Zetey's curfew.

"It's getting late, shouldn't you go back?"

"No, I do not want to return."

They sat there for a moment until Zetey got up, pulling Tak with her.

"Come, come." she said as rushed to get him on his feet. She then began running down the hill and Tak tried to keep up. "This way!"

As they made their way down, running and jumping to lower ground, the colours of the night lit the way. They reached the river and ran along it. The crystal clear water allowed light from the fishes and anemonoids to completely shine their colours through, it was beautiful. He wanted to stop and take it all in but had to keep up so he decided to save this for another day. As he tried to keep up, every step he took made the grass glow patches of light which temporarily showed the path he had taken. Where ever he looked there was bioluminescent blue, green, pink and purple along with other colours, representing some form of life whether it was a plant or creature. They made it into the forest and Zetey led him into the centre of a huge open area where rivers converged and plants flourished. They stopped and marvelled at all that surrounded them. The place shined with every colour on Pandora through the many plants and creatures, putting on a display of unimaginable beauty. Glowing insects hovered around flowers while fishes and anemonoids put on magnificent light shows in the water. All the trees had trails of glowing moss along their trunks and branches which formed intricate patterns. Panopyras hung from branches high above, radiating their bright pink light like natural chandeliers. Overwhelmed with emotions, Tak was completely lost in this world. He had never felt this way in his life and he didn't know what was happening to him, but he didn't want it to end. He turned to face Zetey as if he wanted to say something but said nothing, the look on his face clearly showed what he was feeling. As he saw the bioluminescent dot patterns all over her body, he looked at his arms to find he had them as well. Closely inspecting the patterns on himself, a smile grew across his face. She had never seen him this happy and it made her happy as well. To see someone from another world completely fall in love with everything the Great Mother had created was nice. The two continued to lose themselves in this wonderland, feeling better by the moment.

Back at the lab Yuki was sitting by the link reading, wondering when Tak was going to return. She would occasionally look at the screen to see if he was ready to come out. When it seemed like he wasn't coming back, the screen alerted her that he was coming out of the connection and she got out of her seat. She struggled to remember which buttons to press but managed to get him out. Tak was stiff as a log and needed help sitting up. He stretched his muscles and moved his neck in a circle.

"You know how late it is?" asked Yuki. "What were you doing?"

"Having the greatest day of my life."


	27. Chapter 27

Dr. Eileen and two of her colleagues were at the Takahayo hometree, standing in front of the gathered clan who were listening as she explained the recent "treaty" to them. Members of the clan didn't seem glad as they knew they were just being sold another lie. The Na'vi aren't retarded and Dr. Eileen knew this very well, nor was she the type to lie right to someone's face, but with the recent bloodshed from both sides there was nothing left to do. The stares she got pierced her as she explained what the Colonel had proposed, occasionally stuttering as the pressure got to her. When she finished, the Olo'eyktan questioned her.

"Your people have said this many times in the past, but we all know it is not true. You know it is not true. My people and I have known you for a long time. We have welcomed you and your friends into our home, we have learnt many things from each other, we have become very close...so why do you lie to us?"

Tsuwokan felt the comment rather harsh and felt he needed to step in.

"Olo'eyktan it is not a lie. She is just tr-"

"Silence, now is not your time to speak."

Dr. Eileen didn't know what to say. She looked to her colleagues as if she was asking for help but they gave her no reply. She then looked to the ground in shame and closed her eyes. Letting out a sigh, she gave her pathetic response.

"...I am sorry, I do not know."

The Olo'eyktan was firm in his decision and he made sure everyone knew it.

"We will continue to defend our home even if we have to kill. Give your leader my words."

And with those last words he ended the meeting. Tsuwokan could see the disappointment and humiliation in Dr. Eileen's eyes as she looked at the ground, unable to face her colleagues. As the clan returned to their daily activities Tsuwokan went over to comfort her. Olo'eykatn's harsh words were unnecessary and he didn't want her thinking they were no longer welcome onto their land.

"I am sorry, my people do not understand you want to help."

"No, no it's ok."

"What will you do now?"

"Well, the next closest clan is the Tipikaya so I-"

"Kehe! You cannot go there!"

"But we have to make things right."

Tsuwokan grabbed her by the arms with both hands in a serious manner.

"They will kill you."

"...maybe, but we have to do this. So please, just let me go."

He wasn't going to let her go but something inside him told him to do so. He slowly loosened his hands and Dr. Eileen began walking away. As he watched the group leave, a fear built up inside which unsettled him. He wasn't going to lose any more friends to unnecessary deaths. "Pey!" he yelled and walked over to them. "I will come with you." Dr. Eileen didn't refuse his offer to help, she knew that if she was to even make it into the Tipikaya territory then Tsuwokan was the one who would ensure that. "Thanks" she said softly with a smile. She thought about what she was about to get herself into and decided it was too risky for the others.

"I want you all to go back." she said. The others exclaimed.

"Are you fucking nuts? The two of you aren't going to make it."

"So you would rather have us all die than just the two of us?"

"Well four's better than two!"

"Sorry Elliot, but you'll only get in our way. And besides, the two of you wouldn't equal one of him. I think we can manage with just the two of us."

"Very funny but I'm not about to let you get killed and then have to explain to you know fucking who about why my boss got a fucken arrow through her neck and then h-"

"Will you just please do as I say for once? Just once?"

"...Alright, alright. Just don't fucken die ok?"

"You don't need to tell me."

Before leaving, Tsuwokan told Dr. Eileen to wait and he ran up hometree and returned with what looked like an animal horn. It had a hole in the sharp end and was lightly covered in tribal decorations. "Oh yeah, we'll definitely need that." said Dr. Eileen, and the two head off.

Back at Sludge City the day was passing by very slowly as Tak watched Yuki carry on with her work. She tried to convince him numerous times to help her but he just wasn't interested. They began discussing the future of humanity, throwing around ideas for government policies and how countries should be run. Tak, not knowing shit about how the political world operates, would constantly introduce bizarre or immature ideas only to have Yuki explain why it wouldn't work. Tak would just counter her reasons with the argument that in a world which has stripped the natural world of its rights, the selfish, greedy maggots infesting that world should be stripped of their rights too.

"Wow, you never liked the world you came from did you?"

"I never had a problem with the world, it's just the people that I hate."

"Fair enough, I know what you mean. I think we all feel like that sometimes."

"...Why do you even bother doing your work if you don't enjoy it?"

"I'll lose my job if I don't."

"I work with people that never do shit and they never get into trouble."

"Well that's probably because your boss doesn't say anything."

"But look at your boss, the fucker looks bored as much as you are. No one's going to care if you don't do anything. Well maybe that douche who's running the whole thing but as if he's going to know."

"You mean the guy back at Hell's Gate? What's his name?"

"I don't know, corporate douche?...Fuck, this place is shit. I'm going outside."

"Me too, this is so boring."

Dr. Eileen and Tsuwokan made their way towards Tipikaya territory. It was a warm and sunny day, the sky was clear and it was rather quiet. Only the slight breeze could be heard along with the plants that rustled in the wind. They followed the river and eventually reached the remains of what was once the FEBA base. The bodies had been collected but the rubble and dried blood on the ground remained. Dr. Eileen felt a chill throughout her body as she looked at what remained, imagining what had happened here. She entered through one of the gates and looked around. Approaching the rubble which used to be the main building, she stood at where the main door would've been. The smell of rotting flesh seeped through the rubble from the bodies that weren't recovered. It was unbearable and so she backed off. Tsuwokan stood beside her and looked around at the destruction which he was partly responsible for. He felt no remorse. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her away. They continued but Dr. Eileen felt uneasy. Knowing that this was their reaction to the loss of a few of their clan members only made her think about their reaction to her once she showed up in their home. Walking along the river, she tried to calm herself down by concentrating on the water flowing. She spotted a small creature that was making its way up stream at the same pace that she was walking. It was something to take her mind of the thought of possibly being killed, but out of nowhere a large predator lunged out and ate the small creature in an instant. Dr. Eileen flinched as she witnessed the end of a life in a matter of seconds and her heart began to beat fast with the thought that hers could end in an instant like that very soon. Every day on Pandora is a struggle for survival and she knew this well but she had never been so afraid of death like today.

When they approached Tipikaya grounds, Tsuwokan pulled out his horn and blew the call to notify that visitors were coming, only thing is he wasn't sure if visitors were welcome anymore in this part of the forest. The low sound sent chills down her back and she grew even more nervous. After Tsuwokan put away his horn, Dr. Eileen tightly grabbed his hand and took a deep and slow breath. He could tell she was scared from how tight she was gripping his hand, it was starting to hurt a bit. They made their way closer to the Tipikaya, anticipating death with every step they took. Dr. Eileen was constantly scanning her surroundings but Tsuwokan just kept his eyes on the path ahead. Extreme paranoia sent Dr. Eileen into a state of turmoil as the slightest sounds of animals moving through the vegetation or leaves falling from above were amplified into those of stalkers watching from cover, ready to kill. She held Tsuwokan's arm with both her hands as the tension was becoming unbearable. Tsuwokan thought they would make it to the Tipikaya unharmed but from somewhere nearby an arrow pierced Dr. Eileen in the leg and she let out a cry of pain as she fell to the ground. Tsuwokan was quick to react, first kneeling down to protect her and then loading his bow and scanning the area ready to fire but he could see nothing. As he turned left, a Na'vi jumped down from the branches above with his bow pulled back, the arrow pointing at Tsuwokan's chest, then another Na'vi jumped down. A third came out from cover also with her bow loaded. A fourth Na'vi surfaced from a pond covered in leaves with his arrow loaded. It was as if they were expecting one hell of a fight. Tsuwokan released the tension on his bow and placed it on the ground along with his knife. The Na'vi then pulled the two of them onto their feet, tied their hands together and with knives to their queues, took them to their clan. Along the way Dr. Eileen fell to the ground numerous times as the pain from the arrow was too much to walk with but her capturers would pull her up and force her to continue on her own feet. They reached the Tipikaya hometree, a large one just like any other, covered in moss and small plants growing out from the crevices all the way up. The forest canopy let through only some light so the entrance was heavily shadowed. All sorts of plants randomly grew along the path to the entrance and even all the way into the main hall. There were numerous sticks lodged into the ground and covered in decorations where on the top of some were ornamented human skulls. The two of them were dumped in the middle of the gathered clan who looked on with piercing stares. Tsuwokan rushed over to Dr. Eileen who's right leg was covered in blood on the right side. A mean looking member of the Tipikaya stepped forward and looked down towards Dr. Eileen.

"Stand up." he said. Too tired and hurt to do so, she laid on the ground.

"Stand up!" he yelled, but she refused to. Tsuwokan decided to sit her up and then try and get her on her feet but the Na'vi who stood over them stopped him.

"She can do it herself!"

Dr. Eileen pushed herself off the ground with her arms and slowly, in agony, stood up on her feet. With a crooked stance, she straightened herself.

"Why have you come to us?" he asked her.

"...I am here to give you the words of my leader."

"Your leader?...The same leader who is responsible for the deaths of our brothers and sisters?"

"...You are wrong, he is not the one who-"

"I know what happened! Do not tell me what happened! I know what happened!"

"No, you do not."

Anger built up and he felt the need to teach this Uniltiranyu that she was in no position to argue with him. He grabbed her by her throat with one hand while slowly driving the arrow deeper into her leg with the other. Dr. Eileen yelled as she tried to stop it. Before the Na'vi could say what he wanted to, Tsuwokan tackled him to the ground and the tried to punch him but this other warrior was quite strong. He kicked Tsuwokan off and quickly got on his feet and pulled out his blade. He took swings at Tsuwokan who barely managed to dodge them and was helpless without a weapon. The clan was now cheering on their fellow member to kill the outsider. Tsuwokan's opponent charged at him for the kill and tried to slash him across his face but he grabbed the knife wielding arm countered with a knee to the gut and punches to the face. He knocked his opponent to the ground and refused to continue fighting as if he had enough, but his opponent wasn't going to stop until this outsider was lying on the ground dead. Tsuwokan went to help Dr. Eileen but behind him his opponent was approaching fast with the blade in his hand. "Look out!" yelled Dr. Eileen. Tsuwokan turned around and took a deep cut to the face. The blade sliced across the right side of his face, just passing over his eye, and temporarily blinded his rights side as he kept his eye shut tight while holding the cut with his hand. Tsuwokan quickly got up ready to fight as Dr. Eileen bought him some time by grabbing onto his opponents ankles. He kicked Dr. Eileen who let go and went straight for the kill. As he was about to take a swing with his blade, he was stopped by a commanding voice. "Stop! This is not how we treat our guests!" A Na'vi woman with elaborate attire was standing just above the base of the central spiral in the hometree with a displeased look on her face. As she approached, the crowd that gathered moved to make way for her and she stood over Dr. Eileen, looking down at her. She then turned to Tsuwokan to see his blood covered face, then finally turned to the one responsible for it. She walked right up to him. "Leave now." She ordered in a quiet but serious voice. The man snarled at Tsuwokan before leaving. Dr. Eileen assumed this woman was the Tsahik by her appearance and the power she held which she just demonstrated. Likewise, the Tsahik assumed these visitors had come to discuss something of importance. "Come with me" she said, and Tsuwokan helped Dr. Eileen up and he took her and himself up to the central spiral.

Tak and Yuki arrived at Hell's Gate and unloaded Dr. Augustine's requested specimens along with the sergeant that escorted them. They loaded the plants onto a cart and pushed it to the lab where they were greeted by a scientist.

"Thanks guys, Grace will be really glad now that she's got stuff to work on rather than people to talk to." said the scientist.

"Don't you guys always have stuff to work on?" asked Yuki.

"Well yeah but, you know, Grace is the boss so she gets to work with the new fun stuff first always. Anyway thanks for bringing this stuff over."

And with their job done they headed back to the Samson. On the trip back the two of them talked about what it was like living life in a shack. They both agreed on a number of things, waking up early was a bitch, having to put up with other peoples' incompetence was frustrating, boredom would make the day go extremely slowly, food was shitty and at times it would feel like life was no different to that of the average wage slave back on earth. But they both told each other that despite all the negatives, it was nothing compared to what Pandora had to offer. Since Tak was the one with the Avatar, it was a lot easier for him to experience it all. Unfortunately for Yuki it was all still just stories.

"It's beyond incredible. Everything is just so full of life and colour and it's just so different from where we're from that it seems unreal. That probably won't make sense to you but my point is you have to see it for yourself. Words can't describe how amazing this world is, and that's just the forest that I'm at. You've heard of the floating mountains right?"

What Tak described to her seemed like stuff out of a novel. The possibility of being able to get some free time and see this stuff lifted her mood and put a smile on her face. The chat definitely helped time pass by and before they knew it they were back at the shacks. Yuki powered down the rotors and hopped off. A few mercs stared at her and talked shit while having a few laughs as she walked to the stairs. Tak followed her and the mercs broke out of their snickering after catching a glimpse of him.

"Well, look who it is. What the fuck you doin on my turf boy?" said Sergeant Terry, trying to be as intimidating as possible. He got right in Tak's face but Tak just looked at the ground, keeping calm.

"Didn't forget about me did you? You think you're fucken tough huh? After that shit you pulled off at the cafeteria back at Hell's gate huh? I'll kill you, I don't give a fuck if you've got one of them Avatars, you still ain't tough. I've killed heaps of them dirty blue dogs an-"

"And look what happened, everyone you knew at the FEBA base got fucked up. You're a dumb cunt."

Terry had no comeback, he just stared at Tak with a desire to beat the shit out of him. Tak knew nothing more had to be said, he just let the idiot be and hoped that Terry would one day learn that he should think before he does or says things. As he walked away Terry had some last words to say.

"Well, I got to say, it was fun murdering those fucken blue monkeys."

Dr. Eileen was having the arrow removed from her leg. The Na'vi woman who was treating her slowly pulled the arrow out, trying to be as gentle as possible. Taking it out was definitely worse than having it shot in. Dr. Eileen tried not to make too much noise but the pain was too much and she couldn't resist constantly exclaiming softly in pain. It took minutes but finally it was out and now it was time to seal it up. The woman applied some sticky and strong scented plant extract onto the wound and instantly it stung. "Ooooooowwww ffffffffuck!" yelled Dr. Eileen as the medicine made its way deep into the wound. Tsuwokan was also treated but the medicine didn't do much to seal the cut as blood continued to poor out. After Dr. Eileen got her wound wrapped up, Tsuwokan helped her over to the Tsahik for their talk. They both sat in front of her while elite warriors kept watch with their intimidating stares making them feel weak.

"Why have you come here?" asked the Tsahik. Dr. Eileen was a bit slow to reply but she kept calm and decided to put it as straight forward as possible.

"I have a message from my leader that I wish to pass on to you...he asks for an end to the fighting between his people and yours."

The Tsahik gave her a look which told Dr. Eileen it was going to take more than that to get her point across.

"With the recent deaths both sides have suffered, he asks for all clans to stop the killing, and he will do the same."

"...And what will that lead to?"

Dr. Eileen didn't know what to say. She was beginning to feel the pressure.

"Your leader asks us for peace now but not long ago he killed some of our people, how dare he think of us as morons. We will never forget what he has done."

"No, that was not him. He never gave orders to kill."

The Tsahik was surprised and stayed silent as she was trying to comprehend what seemed like an absurd statement.

"It was a group of men who were not under orders from our leader. They are a dangerous group. They do whatever they want to, but no one does a thing to stop them. I have tried in the past but, I am too weak." She felt the anguish burn inside her as she remembered all the times she could have done something, no matter how small it would've been, but never did. It made her feel pathetic. The Tsahik felt a sense of honesty coming from this dreamwalker.

"How do you know this?"

"...Because I saw it. I saw these men return from what they did, and I saw what they did. I got there too late but believe me, if I could have done something to stop them, I would have."

Tears were rolling down her face as it all came back to her, the sight of all the dead bodies, the bullet shells scattered across the ground, the smell of blood filling the air and the crying of the lone survivor. The Tsahik felt Dr. Eileen's pain.

"...Go where ever you wish, nothing will change. The war ends when skypeople are no longer on this world. Until then we will keep fighting. Now leave..."

Tsuwokan slowly got up with his stuff then helped Dr. Eileen up. They made their way back down and as they made their way towards the exit, what was left of the gathered crowd slowly made way for them. The two of them were beginning to leave the boundaries of the hometree when they heard someone calling for them. "Pey!" yelled the voice. They turned around and waited for the person to catch up. It was the Na'vi woman who had treated Dr. Eileen's injury. She took a few breaths before speaking.

"No dreamwalker has ever come to us, you are brave... I heard what you and the Tsahik talked about, the others would ridicule me for saying this but I believe you. I have heard good things about the uniltiranyu, that they see, unlike the rest of the tawtute. The Tsahik will not tell you this but you have earned her trust. You have earned all our trust. I hope for our great mother to protect you on your journey."

"Thank you for taking care of me, that was very nice of you." said Dr. Eileen who received a smile from her caretaker. The woman then turned to address Tsuwokan.

"I see you my brother, what clan are you from?"

"I see you my sister, I am from the Takahayo clan."

"Takahayo, I have heard good things about your clan... Fighting the skypeople near you all this time must have made you a tough warrior, you are brave to have come here... I must go now. Please, take care."

"My sister, thank you for all you have done for us. If you need help, my people will always welcome you. Kiyevame."

They went their separate ways, knowing they had gained a new ally. It was a long walk back but Dr. Eileen tried so hard to make it back on her own feet. Every step was excruciating and it wasn't long before she fell to her hands and knees. They could see the river but they still had long way to go. Dr. Eileen rolled onto her back and looked up at the sky. It was a really beautiful day. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and onto her singlet. "I can't do this." she mumbled. Blood was seeping from her wound and it didn't look like she was going to get up for a while. Not wanting to waste time, Tsuwokan picked her up and carried her in both arms. Dr. Eileen was feeling bad, not just because for the fact that she had dragged him into all this trouble, but for also making him carry her. He was tired and angry but he didn't show it. Dr. Eileen wrapped her arms around him and they kept on going. By the time they entered the forest Tsuwokan really needed to rest for a while. With Dr. Eileen still in his arms, he dropped to the ground and sat up against a tree.

"I'm so sorry I got you into this shit." said Dr. Eileen. The blood on Tsuwokan's face had mixed with the sticky medicine and sweat along with some dirt and had dripped down the right side of his face. Dr. Eileen wiped it, then just held her hand on his face. Feeling bad for all the trouble she had caused him, she began to cry softly.

"I'm so sorry, it's all my fault. I should've just gone myself, saved you from all this trouble. I'm such a fuck up."

"No more crying." said Tsuwokan softly. "No more." His voice calmed her down and she wiped her tears. "You are strong woman. Strong woman do not cry."

His words made her toughen up and she stopped crying. She took some deep breaths and looked into his eyes. She kept staring into his eyes until Tsuwokan looked away as it was beginning to get awkward for him. He broke the silence by standing up with her in his arms. "You must return with me, the people take care of you." He carried her back and as they walked into the base of hometree, people came rushing towards them. Seeing the blood on them they wondered what had happened as they voiced their concern. Tsuwokan didn't stop to talk, he just went straight up the hometree and took her to where she could be treated. He laid her gently on the floor and walked away. Dr. Eileen was extremely tired and was ready to come out of her Avatar. She slowly dazed off and woke up in her human body with then pain still remaining in her right leg.

The remaining twelve days went by very slowly for Tak. He eventually decided to help Yuki with her work, although he didn't do much, but doing something was better than nothing. He avoided visiting the Takahayo as he didn't want to run into his co-workers and he would check if the others were leaving or returning before he got out of his tent. Whenever something happened between him and another person, Tak preferred to distance himself from them for a period of time and in this case two weeks seemed appropriate. Hours would be spent every day walking around in circles through the forest until he got tired and returned. For the whole two weeks he managed to avoid his co-workers but it was finally time to return. He woke up and packed his stuff, ready to finally leave this shit hole. He hopped in the Samson and rode shotgun with Yuki. Outside they could see one of Terry's dogs being given some sort of orders. Tak watched him approach and then get onboard. "Open the fucken door!" he yelled. "Don't tell me we have to ride with this asshole." said Yuki as she put on her exopack and opened the door. They took off and flew away from the base. Tak turned around to look at who Terry had sent.

"I gotta make sure you don't try nothin stupid, you got a problem with that motherfucker?" he said. It would've been better if Tak didn't respond but he decided to see how far he could push this guy before he lost it.

"Yeah I do actually, you just said don't try nothing. That actually means try something, you used a double negative you dumb fuck. Looks like someone needs to go back to primary school, dumb motherfucker."

The man got out of his seat and right in Tak's face. "You wanna fucken do this? You wanna start me motherfucker? Huh?"

"Guys just stop it! Just stop this shit!" said Yuki as she tried to balance between flying the Samson and stopping a fight.

"Yeah, listen to her. Just stop this shit. You don't want me to have to kill you do you?" said Tak. He had no intentions of starting a fight but it was too late to back down now. The man threw punches at Tak but he just backed off and just dodged the first few. He kicked his opponent hard to create some space, sending him back into his seat. Tak quickly got up and grabbed his legs, pulled him forward and laid in a few punches but he was quick to guard. Tak let go and stepped on him. The man got out of his seat and tackled Tak, sending them both to the floor. He was now on top and didn't waste the chance to send down as many punches as possible. Tak managed to grab his right arm and pushed off with his lower back to throw his opponent off. Tak quickly punched him hard in the face and then pinned him to the floor with his knee, trying hard to stop him from moving around. He held down the man's right arm with his other knee and pummelled the fuck out of him. The man grabbed Tak's right hand so Tak just elbowed him above the eye with his left arm and sent his head back into the floor. He broke free from the man's grip and continued to lay waste to his opponent who wasn't responding. Yuki came to her senses and stopped Tak. "Tak stop! That's enough! Stop! Tak stop it!" she yelled as she tried to pull him away. She lost control for a sec and jerked the Samson to the right causing Tak to hit the window. He finally stopped and sat up, taking in breaths. "Is he dead?" asked Yuki as she looked at the man who was lying very still on the floor. There were patches of blood on the floor and some drops on the seat.

"Oh shit, I think he's dead. You fucken killed him!".

"...Put your exopack on."

"What?"

"Just do it."

Tak put on his exopack and also put one on the dead man. He then opened the door and dragged the body to the back of the Samson. "Keep it still!" he told Yuki. They were now flying over dense forest so it was a perfect place to dump the body. Tak held on to what he could and pushed the body with his feet, causing it to roll off the edge. He watched it fall into the trees and open a hole in the forest canopy, then returned to his seat. Yuki turned to him looking extremely worried.

"Why did you have to do that? Now I'm going to get into shit for this!"

"No you won't, you'll just say he was being a dickhead leaning out the side and you told him to get back in but he wouldn't listen. You got distracted and lost focus, nearly flew into one of those huge trees and jerked it to the side. He fell off and died. If no one believes you then I'll be your witness. And don't worry about the blood, I'll clean it up once we land."


	28. Chapter 28

Things were different back at the shacks when Tak returned. He noticed it was quieter because the lazy people he once knew weren't so lazy anymore, they were actually getting things done. He still didn't want to talk to anyone but eventually he would be. The others just carried on like usual and didn't bring up the incident. They didn't ask him how his two weeks away were, they didn't ask him what he had been doing, they just pretended as if nothing happened. Tak was sitting at his desk going over the past two weeks of research which was nothing really interesting when Dr. Eileen came over. "Tak, Colonel Hilton wants to speak to you. It seems pretty important." she said. Tak went over to her desk and sat down infront of the screen. A video chat was already in progress and the colonel was waiting.

"Thankyou Dr. Eileen, now if I could just talk to him in private." He said, and everyone except Tak went to their bunks to hang out for a while.

"I have two matters I want to discuss." Tak new exactly what those two things were.

"First of all, I want to know why you were away for two weeks." He wasn't even trying but his tone was intimidating. Tak felt like he was sitting in a cop station with his hands cuffed while Officer Hilton interrogated him. Tak looked out the window for a sec before answering the question.

"I just needed to leave for a while."

"Any particular reason?"

"Uh, I just had a bit of a mental breakdown. I just wanted to get away from the people I work with for a while."

"Is something causing you trouble?"

"No not really, it's just the, the workload. It just got too much for me."

"I see, well I suggest you take it easier from now on. Dr. Eileen has been highly commending you for your work so I assume the last thing she wants is one of her top scientists to be unfit for duty. Now, the second thing I want to know is how the corporal who was escorting you yesterday plummeted to his death."

"I told him, and so did the pilot, to not lean out the side but he wouldn't listen. The pilot was looking back at the corporal to try and tell him to get inside and she wasn't paying attention to where she was heading, so when she turned around and realized she was about to fly into a giant tree so she quickly turned the vehicle, and..."

"And?"

"And the sudden movement caused the corporal to fall out... I told him it wasn't safe but, he didn't listen."

"...Yes, how unfortunate indeed. I talked to the pilot as well and she told the same story. Looks like I'll have to reemphasise the importance of safety. Well, thank you for your time. I'm glad I could easily get to the bottom of this. The group of men that this corporal was a part of, they're trouble makers. I know you've already met Sergeant Terry, he's trouble. I've had to discipline him a number of times over the years but...anyway, that's all I wanted to discuss. Take care."

The conversation ended and Tak went back to his desk to continue with his reading. Colonel Hilton was glad to know it was just an accident and not the beginning of another war. He was focusing all his effort in trying to keep the peace with the Na'vi, and this meant having to occasionally step into areas which he had no jurisdiction over. He stepped out from his office to get some sunshine when he overheard Selfridge speaking of a new proposed mining site.

"Hahahaha, wow this month just keeps getting better doesn't it?" he said with the tone of a greedy business man. Colonel Hilton interrupted.

"I'm sorry Parker, a new mining site?"

"Yeah, riiiight here."

"Parker, last time I checked our current deposits have enough to keep us going for at least another year. We're in no hurry for another."

"See, that's why you're not a business man. Look I'm not going to argue about this, I'm just doing my job-"

"And I'm doing mine."

"Really? And what job would that be exactly?"

"Making sure everyone stays alive, including you."

Parker broke out into laughter along with some others.

"Hahahahaha! What are you saying, what, those blue hippies are gonna just march right in here and put an arrow through me?"

Colonel Hilton waited for Parker to cut the crap. "Now I see why you're a business man."

"Oh really? Good! So now we both see that maximising profits is a good thing, yes?"

"No Parker, it's what you fail to see that makes you the greedy, selfish individual that you are. There will be no new mining site until I say so."

Colonel Hilton went out onto the landing strip and looked up at the sky as sunlight made its way through the clouds and onto the ground in patches. Helicopters took off and landed as they filled the place with the buzz of rotors. He watched the clouds drift above him and wondered how much longer this would continue for. The future for humans and their world was not bright at all.

The day was getting hotter and by afternoon everyone was breaking a sweat by just working from their desks. Tak soaked a small towel in water and wiped the sweat of his face, neck and back. He threw it onto his chair and began tapping away at the controls of his link. The heat was making everyone sluggish and it was as if the day had come to a screeching halt with the sun permanently fixed in its position, sending down waves of immense heat and heating the shacks like an oven while everyone inside slowly cooked. Inside was no different to outside. When Tak woke up in his Avatar, he felt his singlet soaked in sweat and he felt slow. It was humid and he could feel heat surrounding his whole body. He changed into his going out pants and put on his shoes but kept his singlet on. He then walked to the river to rehydrate himself, taking large gulps of water, and then took off his singlet, threw it into the water and put it back on. Although it was hot and humid, he felt extremely calm and relaxed. It had been a while since he had any contact with his Na'vi friends and by now they were probably wondering what had happened to him. Tak decided to go pay them a visit and made his way to the Takahayo hometree. Over the months it had become his second home although he didn't feel welcome most of the time. He made his way through the plants which lead into the open and looked around for a familiar face but there was no one at first sight. As he walked around the outer edge of the open area he watched the Na'vi go about their daily lives. Children were running around and yelling playfully while adults carried food up or played with their children. Some of the elders were making leaf plates out of sticks and twine while they sang songs together. Tak found his favourite log and sat down with his head to the ground, staring at the grass beneath him wondering if his Tsanten would show up. Been gone for two weeks, Tak expected his friend would have something new to show him. He waited but there was no sign of Tsanten. It was turning out to be a boring day until someone joined him and sat beside him. Tak turned around to Zetey's smile and instantly his mood was lifted. He returned a small and slow smile.

"How you been?" he asked very casually.

"Good, you?"

"Yeah, good I suppose."

"Why you do not come here for a long time?"

"It was only two weeks, but I don't know...just didn't feel like it."

"Two weeks...I can remember one week is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday..."

"Thhhh-"

"Thursday, Friday...Ssss"

"Ssssat-"

"Saturday, and Sunday."

"Awesome, you know the days of the week." Tak said with a smile. Zetey let out a small laugh of joy as she could still remember what she had learned from the school.

"Alright, let's see if you remember these." Tak pointed to different parts of his body to see if Zetey could remember their names but it was too easy as she remembered them better than the days of the week.

"Eye, nose, ear, mouth, arm, hand, finger, leg, foot...mmmm...tail!"

"You're good." he said with a smile. Again, Zetey let out a small laugh of joy. She stood up and pulled Tak's hand.

"Come, I will show you something."

She led him to the back of hometree where the river was and they walked along the bank to an open area where a number of direhorses were feeding and resting. In the area was an abundance of direhorse pitcher plants along with the beautiful sweet smell of sap. Hellfire wasps buzzed around as they shared the sweet sap with the direhorses. They both approached a direhorse and Zetey patted it while Tak got a look of the creature. It stood straight with its six strong legs, the bulging muscles defining it as a creature made for power and endurance, the crest arrogantly pointing high and swooping down to the back while the queues elegantly whipped backwards, giving it a sense of majesty. The shape of its body from head to tail was magnificent. Standing taller than him, this was one intimidating yet beautiful creature. It remained very calm while Tak circled it, getting a look from every angle. Zetey lead a horse out and called for Tak to follow so he did the same and they took them down the river to an open area.

"My people have bond with other creature, it is called tsaheylu. With tsaheylu, we can become one with them. To tsaheylu you-"

"Take your queue and connect it to theirs, the nerves lock and you feel what they feel and- oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you."

Zetey looked surprised rather than annoyed.

"Yes... you know?"

"Yeah, I uh.. I read about it. Interesting stuff."

With a smile she continued to show him how it worked. She took her queue, running her hand down it to find the end, and took the queue of the direhorse and attached the two ends. The nerves felt each other before slowly intertwining to form the bond. Instantly Zetey was one with the direhorse, feeling whatever it felt. The weight of its own body, the soft dirt beneath its feet, its heartbeat, everything was now being channelled into her. She hopped on and rode around the area, taking her direhorse to feed on some plants. Tak watched as she effortlessly rode around making it look so easy which made him think this horse riding stuff couldn't be too hard. She returned to him and hopped off, disconnecting her queue. "Your turn." she said. Tak took the end of his queue in one hand and one of the direhorses in the other. He slowly brought them together and watched as the nerves fidgeted before finally accepting each other to make the bond. At the moment of bonding he felt a pulse run through his whole body and he could now feel what the direhorse felt. He stood there for a little while in amazement getting used to this connection, something he had never experienced before. To be able to feel what an animal feels and even control it was something new and very exciting and he couldn't help himself from smiling.

"Shit, this is pretty cool." he said as he instantly became that small kid again discovering new and interesting things.

"...So what now?"

"You ride."

"Right, guess I should get on. Okay horse, stay still."

Tak jumped up and landed his stomach on the horse's back. As the horse walked around in circles trying to get the dead weight of its back, Tak wriggled around and straightened himself so he could sit up. "Stay still, don't make this so hard for me." he said while Zetey just watched on in amusement. He managed to sit up and waited for further instructions.

"Now you must tell him where to go. You think, he does."

"I think, he does?"

"Srane."

"I think, he does...sounds straight forward."

Tak began continuously saying to himself to go slowly. His thoughts transferred to his horse and the horse began taking small steps forward. He then told himself to slowly turn right and the horse turned right. He travelled in a small circle and then stopped.

"Wow, I did it." he said to Zetey with amazement.

"Very good. Now, you go faster."

"Alright, but I won't go too fast."

Tak took off, again continuously sending commands to his horse, but this time going slightly faster. The horse trotted around the place as Tak directed it. Although it wasn't fast, whenever they turned Tak felt like he was going to slide off so he would lean forward and hold on to the sides of the horse's neck like he was riding a motorbike. His armature riding style was entertaining for Zetey to watch. She jogged over and stopped him to give him some advice.

"You ride like this, you will never become good. You must sit like this, better, then you are free."

"I sit like that and I'll fall off."

"You must...mmmm..."

"Keep my balance?"

"Uh..."

"Keep my balance, continuously adjust my weight so I don't fall off."

"...Yes, yes."

Zetey mumbled to herself in Na'vi as she didn't know what he was talking about. "What did he say? Ba-lans? I never learnt that word."

"Do not hold, sit like this, arm here."

Keeping these tips in mind, Tak went off again, this time keeping his arms to his side. He went at roughly the same speed as before and whenever he took a turn he would raise his arms like he was walking a tight rope. A few times he couldn't help himself from holding on but overall he was doing pretty good. But watching him take it easy was getting boring and Zetey wanted to test him a bit so she went up to his horse and smacked it on the rear end. Tak also felt this which gave him and his horse a surprise. His horse bucked and sent Tak flying off, crashing into the ground face first. Zetey was a bit worried as she didn't expect to give him that much of a fright and cause him to hit the ground so hard. She walked over to him and kneeled down.

"...Tak?"

"...don't ever fucking do that again. That fucken hurt." he replied with one side of his face in the dirt.

Zetey just playfully laughed while Tak slowly got up and rubbed the dirt of his face, he was done horse riding for the day.

Riding horses became a nearly every day thing and Tak was slowly learning with each lesson. He would continuously have to be corrected on little things but he was eager to get better which is why Zetey had the patience for him. Trotting around the grounds of hometree eventually became trips through the forest and along the river. Exploring the forest never got old for Tak, and now it was even better since he didn't have to do the walking. The more time he spent with the horses, the more things he learned and remembered about them which would show through his drawings. Only after a few days he had begun drawing them in his sketch pad but soon he was remembering more and added these fine details. Late nights became even later as he spent hours drawing while finishing bits of work at his desk. He was waking up a bit later than when he first started working for Dr. Eileen but his productivity was still the same, never failing to get shit done. Some days he would just spend the afternoon with Tsanten in a quiet spot away from the rest of the kids and Tak would tell him everything Tsanten wanted to know about the Tawtutes' world. Other days were spent running through the forest and trying to keep up with Zetey. The forest never took pity on him and he would always return with a bruise or a cut but he wouldn't have it any other way. The intense exercise had made him lose some weight and he was looking a bit skinny, probably because he hadn't been feeding his Avatar as much as he should be.

Three and a half months on Pandora and Tak still hadn't done much. There was still places to go to, things to do and animals and plants to see, but finding time for it was getting hard as his work took priority. The Anemonids had been giving very promising results as they continued to show their strong soil detoxifying capabilities and as they grew larger they required more space which meant observing and recording information took longer. Sometimes Tak just wanted to stop and do something else but he would always push himself to get it done. Back at the Takahayo clan, Zetey was sharpening her blade when her mother interrupted her.

"Why do you not be around your friends anymore?" she asked.

"I do." she replied while continuing to sharpen her blade.

"You have changed my daughter."

Zetey stopped sharpening her blade for a few seconds and slowly looked up at her mother with a bit of concern then looked away and continued with her blade.

"You have been spending a lot of time with the Uniltiranyu."

"...Is that a problem?"

"...Some of the people are saying you have taken a liking to this Uniltiranyu, what do I say to them?... Your father would not be happy he was here with us."

Zetey suddenly stopped what she was doing as her mother's words angered her. Her father wasn't the type who would label all the aliens into one category. He could distinguish between those who could see and those who couldn't. He taught her daughter the same thing and in Zetey's eyes, Tak was someone that her father would get along with. Zetey wanted to snap back at her mother but she chose not to and just went back to sharpening her blade. Her mother walked away after Zetey's lack of response was an obvious sign of telling her to leave. The next day Tak decided to let someone else do the statistics for the results he had gathered as he just couldn't wait to go for another direhorse ride. As he was pressing the buttons on the touch screen, Dr. Eileen came up to him.

"Going out already?"

"Yeah, don't feel like analysing the results right now, maybe someone else will do it for me."

"Fair enough, you've been working hard. I'll come with you."

"...Why?"

"Just wanna see how everyone's doing."

When they woke up in their tents the humid air covered them like a blanket. As usual, Tak stood on his feet and felt slightly dizzy from dehydration. Wasting no time they got ready and got themselves a drink from the river then made their way to the Takahayo. It had been a while since the two had gone together and Dr. Eileen was hoping she could get him involved in some games with the kids.

"So, I heard someone's been learning to ride the direhorses."

"You did?"

"Mhm, from Zetey. She says you're getting the hang of it."

"Yeah well shit's not as easy as it looks."

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure you'll become a great Pa'li makto one day."

"Yeah right...so what'd you get up to while I was gone?"

"No one told you?"

"What?"

"I made contact with another clan, it's all part of this plan that the Colonel wants to put into effect."

"How'd that go?"

"Not that great."

"What, they just told you to get lost?"

"Ah no actually, they put an arrow in my leg."

"Really?"

"Yeah, right here." Dr. Eileen rolled up her shorts and showed Tak the scar that was still healing.

"Damn, that must've hurt."

"Yeah, it did. Well at least I earned their respect. Seems like I'm the first Avatar to make contact with them and apparently it was brave of me."

"You went on your own?"

"No, no way, Tsuwokan came along. I would've died if he didn't save my ass, he even carried me back...yeah he's, he's a nice guy."

There was a bit of silence before Tak changed the topic, Dr. Eileen's story of her near death experience had given him an idea towards building his future army.

"...So, this plan. As lame as it sounds, it's actually working?"

"I don't know, we'll have to wait a while and see if the fighting continues. But so far I think I made a pretty good start."

"Wow, didn't think the Na'vi would buy into our crap so easily. But if it worked then I guess I've got to do my bit, after all I'm your top scientist according to Colonel tough shit. Anymore uncontacted clans?"

"Oh, I don't know Tak, it's probably not a good idea. I nearly died and I had someone with me. Don't worry about it-"

"No no no I want to do this. We can show them that we're not all fucken scumbags, and besides I'll get to explore more, see more stuff, I want to go."

Dr. Eileen gave a look of concern. She liked his initiative and enthusiasm but was worried that he would have the same faith as her, or maybe even worse. "...Alright how about this, if you can get some of the Takahayo to go with you then I'm ok with it, BUT, there's no way you're going on your own, understood?"

"Alright, I understand."

"Alright good...and when did Hilton say you're my top scientist?"

The two reached the Takahayo and as usual the children ran towards Dr. Eileen, completely ignoring Tak. They gathered around in excitement, hoping she had brought along something interesting in her bag. She took off her backpack and pulled out a soccer ball. "Today we are going to play Soccer!" she said in Na'vi to which the children cheered in excitement. It'd been a long time since they played soccer and although they hadn't seen a ball in a long time, they still remembered how the game goes. The children divided into two teams leaving Tak and Dr. Eileen to be unpicked.

"Alright, I will go with...you lot!" she said and the team lucky enough to get her cheered. She then turned to Tak and gave him a look which told him to join the other team. Tak shook his head.

"Come on! Don't be a dick!"

"I'm not playing."

"Why not?"

"I suck at soccer."

"Oh- Who cares! Just play! Come on! The kids are waiting!"

Tak looked over to his team who just returned blank looks. They were never introduced to this large scary looking Uniltiranyu and they didn't want to. Although Tak didn't want to join in, he forced himself to, telling himself it'd make him seem nicer to the people. He walked over to his team and stood in front of them. He got a good look of his team and tried to remember their faces while Dr. Eileen put red sashes around the arms of her team. For some reason he didn't want to talk to them in Na'vi, besides they had been learning English for a while now. Towering over them, he gave them a few words.

"...You ready to win?"

He waited for a response but there was just silence.

"Yeah, fucken awesome team." he said sarcastically.

Dr. Eileen's team kicked off and soon the field became full of action. The children were running around everywhere doing their best to get the ball. Dr. Eileen was also getting into the game and knowing how good she was, the kids took any opportunity to pass her the ball. Tak was just walking around the field when he saw Dr. Eileen coming towards him with the ball. He got ready to stick his foot out and try and trip her over while also getting the ball. Dr. Eileen came at him fast and Tak quickly stuck his foot out but Dr. Eileen just quickly side stepped and passed him with hardly any effort. She went on to score the first goal and her team yelled with joy as they took the lead. Tak walked off the field, took a seat on his favourite log and watched the game, what he would be rather doing than playing. Minutes passed and he had lost focus of what was happening, he was now staring thoughtlessly at nothing when suddenly a fruit fell onto his lap. He looked up to see Zetey smiling. "Oh thanks." he said and she joined him on his log.

"Mmmmmm this is good."

"Why you not play the game?"

"I'm no good, I'd rather watch."

"I like the game, it is fun."

"Then you should replace me, cos we're getting owned...oh by the way I've got a favour to ask."

Zetey looked at him like she didn't know what he meant.

"I need your help."

"Mmm?"

"You know what we're trying to do right? This whole peace keeping thing, Uniltiranyu goes to Na'vi clans and convinces them to stop killing stupid humans n shit."

"Yes, I know. Gillian go but she get hurt. Tsuwokan get hurt as well, it was not safe."

"Yeah well now it's my turn to go, and I really need your help with this-"

"Kehe."

"...Zetey please, this has to be done."

"No, no."

"If this doesn't happen, then the fighting isn't going to end. All this bad shit isn't going to end, and right now I'm the only one who's willing to go. Please, just help me this one time..."

Zetey thought about for a while but her decision was clear. "No." But Tak wasn't going to give up.

"Please, I really need your help. It won't even be long, I'll just have a quick talk with them and if they want me to leave then I'll leave. You just need to help me get there, that's all I'm asking."

"...You will not get hurt?"

"I won't."

"...Promise?"

"Promise."

Tak put his hand on her shoulder and assured her that he'd be fine.

"We leave in the morning."

It was an early wake up for Tak but he had no problem getting out of bed since he went to sleep early the night before. Standing in the shower with his head down, letting the warm water run down his body, he thought about what he was getting himself into. He knew the dangers, especially after hearing of how Dr. Eileen had just survived, and he didn't want to lose his boss's trust, but he knew he had to make this crucial decision. An entire clan is an invaluable force and when the time comes, they would be ready to bring the pain. He knew he could earn their trust, he just didn't know how hard it would be. He got out and got dressed, got some breakfast and sat at his desk. Dr. Eileen was the only other person up at this time.

"You're up early, must be anxious to get out there."

Tak replied with a slight smile as he ate his breakfast.

"So... who agreed to go along with you? Zetey?"

"Mhm."

"Ofcourse she did, she's always been a wild child."

"You don't say."

"Speaking of which, you two seem to be getting along quite well."

There was a moment of silence as Tak was unsure of what she was implying.

"Asked her out yet?" she said sarcastically.

"Ha, funny."

"You wouldn't?"

"You would?"

Dr. Eileen's feelings for Tsuwokan came rushing back as Tak's question evoked them. She thought about what to say before giving an answer.

"...I don't know, maybe."

"And which Na'vi would possibly want to go out with you?"

"...None of your business, now shut up and finish your cereal. You've got a long day ahead."

Tak ate his cereal then went to brush his teeth. He then got his link ready and opened it up. He lay in his link and Dr. Eileen did the rest. "Be careful out there." she said before closing the lid. It was as if she was saying goodbye to him as she closed his coffin, even though he would still be alive in his human body. Tak packed his backpack, throwing in some food, a water canister, some matches, a first aid kit and a map. He met up with Zetey who was waiting at the edges of the village.

"Oel ngati kameie" he greeted her, and she nodded in reply.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Srane."

"Alright, let's get going."

Thinking they were going to take the direhorses, Tak walked in that direction but Zetey went up the spiral.

"Hey where you going?"

"We take Ikran, faster than Pa'li."

Tak smiled with excitement, it'd been a while since he got to ride on the back of one. As they made their way to the top, they met up with Tsuwokan, Aketuan and Bakteyo. Tak was surprised to see them as he hadn't asked them to come along.

"Oel ngati kameie" greeted Tsuwokan, he had all his gear and was set to go.

"What are you doing?"

"We go together."

"...You sure you wanna come?"

"Ma tsmukan, we fly together."

"Hell yeah my brother. Let's go."

They reached the top and called for their Ikrans. Zetey called for hers and a rich blue Ikran decorated in black stripes touched down from the branches above. It was the first time Tak had seen her Ikran, and it was an aggressive looking creature. The black stripes across its eyes looked like scars from previous battles while the rest of patterns all over its wings and body looked like the camo on military vehicles. The blade on its lower jaw was decorated in black streaks and reminded Tak of the planes back in WWII that he saw in history books which had the number of kills painted across the side. This was one very sleek, stealthy and unimaginably cool looking creature. Tak couldn't help but smile in awe.

"Fuck! This is yours?"

Zetey laughed to say yes. Tak circled the beast while Zetey tightened the straps. The others were doing the same. Tsuwokan had finished and asked Tak where they were going to.

"Ma tsmukan, where do we go?"

Tak took out the map from his back pack.

"Right here, the Nyankaya clan."

"I know there."

"Alright, you lead the way. And hey, thanks for doing this."

Zetey was now ready to fly.

"Tak, we fly."

"I get to ride with you on this guy?"

"Srane,"

"Fucken awesome."

Tak took of his shoes and tied them to his back pack, then got on behind Zetey and held on tightly to the straps. The group took off one after the other with full force and were soon flying in formation. It was a sunny day with no clouds to disturb the incredible view. An incredible sense of freedom filled Tak and he had completely forgotten about why he was doing this in the first place. Escaping life back earth and now living his dream on another world with people who he could truly call friends, he couldn't ask for more. It was too much and he yelled out in joy, Zetey was glad to see him this happy. They flew across the landscape, heading towards their objective but in the meantime enjoying this fine day.

A few hours of flying got them pretty close as the Nyankaya hometree was already visible. They began their decent into the forest and Tak went from enjoying his flight to getting into a serious mood, reminding himself of the dangers that awaited him. They landed on the forest floor and got off to discuss the next move, but Tak had already made up his mind.

"Guys, you've already done more than enough getting me here. We'll take it from here."

Tak and Zetey began making their way on foot but Tsuwokan wasn't going to allow that.

"Pey!" yelled Tsuwokan as he caught up to them.

"I will come."

"No, stay here and watch the Ikrans."

"No! I will come."

"No, you won't. We've already put you through enough shit. Just take it easy today."

Zetey reassured him that the two of them would be able to take care of themselves. "Ma tsmukan, we will return. I promise." She said with her hand on his shoulder. She tapped him gently to tell him to stay and went off with Tak. Tsuwokan finally realized that Zetey was no longer a child and she was now old enough to look after herself, so with that thought, he let her go. The two of them walked through the forest, talking about Zetey's English, and Tak gave her some tips on grammar. When they got close enough to signal their presence, Zetey pulled out the horn and blew the signal to notify their approach. "Let's hope this goes well" said Tak to himself. The continued on, wondering where the Nyankaya were watching from since they knew they would be around somewhere. Suddenly they heard the gallops of direhorses approaching. It sounded like a large group, and indeed it was. They saw the war party approaching them and waited for them to arrive. The group surrounded them and got off their horses. It was a bit tense but Tak remained calm. One of the clansmen circled Tak and inspected him from every angle, then looked over to Zetey to see she was obviously from another clan. The Na'vi male then walked over to his men and signalled them. They went behind Tak and one of them struck him hard across the back of his head. Tak yelled and hit the ground. Zetey yelled and tried to reach him but she was refrained by spears to her face. They grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away before tossing her to the ground.

"Go back." said one of them. They kept staring at her while she decided what to do. She couldn't just leave Tak there, but if she didn't then she would end up like him, or dead. It was a tough decision but she ran back to the others. Tak was dazed and tried to get back onto his feet. The group began discussing what to do.

"Shall we keep him awake?"

"No, Oloeyktan would not want to deal with this dreamwalker during the day. He will be dealt with in the night."

And with that, Tak took another blow to the head which knocked him out. They loaded Tak onto the back of a direhorse and took him back to their hometree where he would be dealt with in the night.


	29. Chapter 29

"God fucking dammit Tak! This is what I was talking about!" were the first words Dr. Eileen yelled at Tak when he told her what'd happened. He didn't bullshit her, he just got straight to the point, but it didn't matter because Dr. Eileen was too pissed off to care about his honesty. She was losing her trust in him quick and it would take more than just getting his Avatar out of there safely to earn it back. Afternoon became night and Tak had been sitting at his desk, spinning a pocket knife in his hand as he thought about what he was going to do. Dr. Eileen had been stressing out for hours and it didn't seem like she was going to calm down. Tak got up and headed for his link.

"And where do you think you're going?" asked Dr. Eileen.

"I'm getting my Avatar back."

"Getting it back...of course you are." she mumbled sarcastically.

Tak awoke to being beaten by staffs while water was splashed in his face. The pain instantly kicked in, giving him no time to adjust, and he. "Wake up dreamwalker!" screamed into his ears as he slowly looked up from the ground to see three Na'vi men. One of them grabbed his face and held it up, staring him in the eye before letting go and running off. Tak's hands and feet were tied together around an altar which was decorated with all sorts of bones. He tried to free himself but it was no use. One of the men jabbed him in the stomach, causing Tak to let out a wheezy cough. The Na'vi who had left returned with what seemed like the whole clan and they gathered in a circle around Tak. The Olo'eyktan stepped forward and paced around as he began talking to his people.

"My people! The time has come for us to send the creators of these demons a message! These skypeople, who take from the land what is not theirs, who destroy everything in their path, who kill for no reason, and in the end who hide behind a fake body to cover their true selves!"

The people yelled as they got excited to see this dreamwalker die. Tak still hadn't thought of how he was going to get out of this one. The Olo'eyktan looked him in the eye.

"You cannot hide behind this body, we know what you truly are."

He had been standing for hours and his legs were about to give up. He was very tired and could barely keep his head up. It was no use but he tried again to free his hands. The guards just beat him with their staffs.

"You think you can escape? After what you and your people have done, you will not walk from here alive! You will die!"

The people yelled even louder.

"Bring me the Kali'weya!" yelled the Olo'eyktan. Tak was finding it hard to keep eye contact with him and every time his head fell towards the ground the guards would prod him and splash water onto his face. An elder brought out a stone jar and opened it. The Olo'eyktan stuck his hand in the jar and pulled out a large Arachnoid. It violently wriggled as it tried to free itself, ready to sting the first thing it could. Tak saw this and spat water in the Olo'eyktan's face to which he responded with a powerful back hand to Tak's face, giving him a bleeding nose.

"You have angered Eywa, and now dreamwalker, you will feel her wrath as she does onto you what you and your demon people have done to us!"

"Go fuck yourself." said Tak in English, giving some last words to the Olo'eyktan. His head was pushed to the right to fully expose his neck and a painful sting was delivered. Tak yelled as the stinger pierced his skin and injected the toxin. It didn't take long for the toxin to spread through his body and take effect. The people around him became distorted and their yelling was amplified to horrific screeches that pierced his ears. The roof of hometree above him shook as if it was going to crack open. Drums began to play and people dressed in costumes taunted him with their dances. The chaos of everything caused Tak to panic as he tried harder than ever to free himself but he was just beaten and taunted more. He yelled as insanity took over and the people yelled along with him. A woman with face paint held the skull of a Nantang to his face and cursed him with evil before she opened the jaws and snapped them. For Tak this Nantang was alive and it was trying to bite his face off. The peoples' yelling had now turned into a demonic growl and the dancing had come to life, transforming the dancers into fearful beasts. Tak was now in hell. As the insanity continued, the Olo'eyktan held his head still.

"I see the fear in you dreamwalker, you are not tough after all."

The Olo'eyktan's voice was pure evil, sucking the strength out of Tak who was now like a caged animal about to seriously lose its mind. The Olo'eyktan wanted to see how Tak would respond if he was set free so he cut him loose. Tak collapsed to the ground, his whole body barely able to move. The beasts of hell surrounded him and were suffocating him with their fear. Tak tried to get up but it was taking a while for his body to respond. He suddenly snapped and violently swung his arms around, trying to protect himself, and then began kicking his legs. He kicked one of the beasts hard , causing them to hit the ground. The beasts backed off as Tak managed to get up. He began going for the ones who taunted him, grabbing them and throwing them hard to the ground before viciously beating them with his fists. Others tried but couldn't completely stop him. Fear turned into rage and Tak went for anyone he could. His uncontrolled fists hit anyone within reach and the Olo'eyktan asked for the guards to get him under control. They swung their staffs, hitting Tak's legs to drop him to the ground and held him down. Tak wouldn't stop moving and swearing, telling them to let go or he would fuck them up. No one could understand his tawtute gibberish.

"The dreamwalker wishes to fight! Who will accept his challenge?" yelled out the Olo'eyktan to which many responded with yells. Eventually the crowd sent one out, a tough looking warrior with an athletic build and serious look on his face. There was no way he would give his opponent the time to even take one breath as soon as the fight started. The crowd moved in to reduce the space and gave the warrior a staff. The guards held Tak and put a staff on the ground in front of him, ready to let him loose. Tak's opponent was ready, and the fight began when the guards released him. He picked up his staff and swung it around with no control. His opponent just dodged the swings and countered with blows to his torso. Tak got madder but it only made him fight worse. "I'm not going to lose to this fucker." said Tak and he got back onto his feet. When their staffs clashed together, Tak tried to overpower him and push him back but he was as tough so he head butted him hard then kicked him. His opponent fell back and continued to back up, creating space between him and Tak. Tak got fed up with the staff and threw it like a spear and ran towards his opponent. The staff was deflected and Tak was coming straight for him. He took a swing at Tak's ribs but it was only a partial hit as Tak caught it, clamping it between his ribs and arm. Tak then pulled his opponent closer and cracked him in the jaw, followed by another head butt. He continued to lay waste with only his right fist but there wasn't much that could be done. Dazed, his opponent tumbled to the ground and tried to protect himself. Tak pulled the staff away and kicked and punched his downed opponent. He laid waste with all the energy he had left, hammering his fists into his opponent's face and beating him to a pulp. The crowd watch in shock as one of their fine warriors lay unconscious, bloodied and bruised, being beat to death by savage dreamwalker. Some of them came to their senses and pulled Tak away but he responded quickly and wacked them away with his forearms. He then got the staff and swung it to clear the people away. The crowd backed off and the cleared a path for Tak. Exhausted, Tak slowly began making his way, facing the people to make sure they didn't try to stop him. He then threw the staff at the crowd and ran as fast as he could. The people went after him but the Olo'eyktan stopped them. "Kehe! Leave him! Eywa will make sure that he does not live to see day."

Tak ran into the forest, getting away as far as he could before running out of breath. The forest was beautiful as usual, but he couldn't give a shit about the view right now. When his body couldn't take it anymore, he collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily as he tried to regain his breath. Looking up at the forest canopy as beams of light from Polyphemus shined down through pockets, he really thought he was going to die. Everything was pulsating with colour, the plants wobbled and the creatures buzzed. It was as if the forest was trying to tell him something. He let out one final yell in hopes that someone would hear him and come to his help. His heart was pounding and his vision was fading in and out. He was drifting off into a deep sleep but before he dozed off he felt someone grab his arm.

Tak woke up in the afternoon the next day. He prepared himself to be yelled at by his boss for his major fuck up but the memory of someone grabbing his arm before he blacked out kept his hopes up that his Avatar was safe. Dr. Eileen walked in to catch Tak stretching in bed and sat down in front of him.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Mhm."

"You don't sound concerned about what happened yesterday."

"Neither do you...I told you, someone grabbed my arm before I blacked out."

She gave him a blank look before continuing.

"Well, I just went to visit our friends to ask about what happened, and they took me upstairs and there you were, lying in a hammock."

Tak smiled, he knew he was right.

"Yeah, you can thank your friends for saving your ass. They had to go back and convince a few more to come along and get you, they were expecting a fight. But they told me they found you lying in the forest. What happened?"

"Uuum...they tied me to a pole and beat me with sticks, then they stung me with one of those poisonous Arachnids and I went insane. Eventually they let me go so I could fight one of their guys, I beat the shit out of him then escaped and ran as fast as I could and then...that was it."

"You're lucky you made it out alive."

"Well, at least I got the job done...I think."

Dr. Eileen shook her head and lightly slapped him on the cheek.

"Idiot."

It was later than usual but Tak got around to using his Avatar for the day. When he woke up he could hear some kids gathered around him, talking quietly to each other.

"Is he dead?"

"Maybe he is sleeping?"

"Do something."

"No! You do it!"

He felt something poking his face so he slightly moved his head. The kids laughed quietly and the poked him again with their stick. "Uh piss off, leave me alone." he said but the kids didn't understand his English. They continued to poke him until eventually Zetey told them to go play somewhere else. She hopped onto the hammock beside his and from there, rubbed on a paste made from a plant to help his bruises heal quicker. Her soft fingers rubbing the soothing medicine onto his body felt nice.

"The children like you."

"Really? That's nice...Thanks for coming back to get me."

Zetey smiled and nodded. It was good to know he was going to live.

Tak got to stay at the hometree during his recovery. Every day the kids would poke him with sticks or throw stuff at him to get a reaction but their timing was always off. Since he was living with the clan, it was his duty to contribute in some way. He would go hunting for meat or gather fruit with Zetey and they were spending alot of time together. This of course drew the attention of her mother, along with some of her friends. Zetey was getting more questions about this dreamwalker she was with all the time and what she found so interesting about him. She just downplayed their questions and made it seem like nothing, but it was obviously something. One day Tak caught Zetey's mother carrying a basket of fruit up hometree, it looked quite heavy. Unaware of how she felt about him, Tak offered to carry it for her. Although he was still some stranger to her, she couldn't deny that he was caring, and that was the day that her view of Tak began to change. Every day she would catch Tak helping to carry things, preparing food, helping to make things or some other small task. She was beginning to see why her daughter took interest in this one.

Two weeks of receiving treatment and Tak was ready to go back. His bruises were pretty much gone and his cuts healed nicely. It was a fun two weeks as he got to experience village life, although he was inactive for most of the day, but now the fun was over and he had to get back to work. Just when Tak was getting back to the normal routine, news had just arrived concerning some major changes. Dr. Eileen was talking to Dr. Augustine about moving to a new location, which she wasn't too happy about, but also couldn't argue with.

"Gillian I'm going to need you and your team to move to Blue Lagoon. Some of the guys need some help with running the place and also their research and I just can't afford sending any more people out of here, I need all the help I can get, so please just do this for me."

"...Well, it's not like I have an option. I mean you're my boss, I have to listen to you."

"That is true..."

"Alright, alright- sorry, just a sec"

Tak pulled her away from the camera for a moment to use this as an opportunity to help out a friend.

"If we're moving, then we get her to do something for us."

"Uh, what? You don't just make demands to Grace. That's just suicide."

"Just listen, you know my friend? The one who always flies us around? Well she's stuck over at that fucken shit hole weapons lab and she really wants out. If we could get her, then not only would we have an awesome addition to the research team, but we'd also have our own pilot. Sounds good right?"

"...So you want me to ask Grace if she can have your friend relocated with us?"

"Yeah."

It was a big request but Dr. Eileen decided to give it a shot.

"...Alright, I'll ask. But this is your idea, you take the blame if this turns shitty."

Dr. Eileen went ahead and took her chances. She asked nicely, hoping to get the response she wanted.

"Who are you talking about?" asked Dr. Augustine. Dr. Eileen turned to Tak and quickly asked.

"Her name is Yuki Kubota, she arrived this year and she's now working over at the new chemical weapons research lab. Yeah I just think she's wasting her time over there and we could really use another hard worker like her, so..."

She nervously waited for Dr. Augustine to reply.

"...You've got guts making requests like this...alright, I'll have her meet up with you. Just promise me you'll help my people out there get things done."

"Will do. Thanks."

The decision was made. Dr. Eileen and her group were moving to Blue Lagoon and Yuki would be joining them. This news came as a disappointment to everyone, especially Tak, but it was still exciting as it was another place to get familiar with. The group spent the rest of the day visiting the Takahayo tribe and saying their kiyevames. The kids were sad to find out Dr. Eileen was leaving but she promised she would be back. She let them keep the soccer ball and told them to keep playing and get better so that when she returned they could have an awesome game. Back at the shacks Tak was waiting for his turn to get into his Avatar. It was just him and Alan.

"Well, looks like this is it." said Alan as he sat in Dr. Isaac's chair.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean this is it for this place, we won't be coming back here right?"

"Don't know, I hope I can."

"...You really like the Na'vi people huh?"

Tak gently nodded his head with a sincere look on his face.

"I bet they are...So what now? What about all your friends? Your allies, how are you gonna stay in contact? I mean, do we really need to keep this going? Things have been pretty good for a while, we shouldn't fuck that up."

Alan was right, things were going good. Who was he to ruin that?

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

There was still business to be dealt with, but that day would come sooner or later. For now, Tak just enjoyed the peace and quiet. When it was finally Tak's turn to get into his Avatar and say his goodbyes, he wasted no time heading to the Takahayo hometree in search for his friends. He first found Tsanten and got to the point. Tsanten didn't like the idea of his only friend leaving, but Tak promised he would return soon. He then went to see Tsuwokan and told him what was going to happen, but Tsuwokan already heard from the others.

"My brother, you help us bring peace to our land, thank you. You are welcome here, any time."

"Thank you."

Tak wanted to say more, so much more, but he just couldn't think of the words. He felt like he had become part of a family and now he had to leave them. While trying to think of more to say, he caught Zetey in the distance by the watching him talk with Tsuwokan. He ended the conversation with a smile and a nod and went to say his last goodbye. Zetey was standing at the base of the spiral in the hometree and as Tak approached, she started walking to the back where the water was. Tak followed her and they sat down in a shady spot.

"...Hey."

"Hai."

"You probably already know that we have to leave."

"Yes."

"Well, I just thought I'd come to say goodbye."

"...Why you leaving?"

"Just some changes to my job. Can't argue with Dr. Grace."

"Will you come back?"

"Yeah of course I will. I love it here."

The two smiled at each other before a moment of silence. It always happened, but Tak still wasn't used to it. He decided to quickly change the subject.

"Hey, there's still many places I want to go see. Maybe you can take me there?"

"Yes I will."

"Alright then, I can't wait."

It was a quick conversation but Tak had nothing else to say so he decided it was time to leave. They got up and made their way out. Tak wasn't sure if a handshake would be appropriate for a way to say goodbye and thank you for all she had done. He stuck his hand out but Zetey opened her arms for a hug. It was a surprise but Tak hesitantly reached out and hugged her. The last time he hugged anyone was when his parents came to see him leave for Pandora. For him it was emotionless. To hug someone and feel something was weird for him and for some reason it put a small smile on his face, but he just went along with it. He pulled away, realising there was work to get back to, so he began making his way. Stepping back into the heavily forested area, he could hear a voice calling for him.

"Wait! Wait!" yelled the little voice. Tak turned around to see Tsanten chasing after him. He was in the forbidden area but it didn't matter. Tak kneeled down, wondering what was so important for him to be chased after.

"What are you doing here? You will get into trouble again."

He saw Tsanten holding something in his hand.

"I made this for you." said Tsanten as he showed Tak a beautifully hand crafted Ikran. Amazement and gratitude struck him upon sight and all he could do was continue to stare at the piece of art.

"You made this?"

"Yes."

"This is beautiful...thankyou, thank you so much."

"...Are you really going to return?"

"Yes, I promise."

He hugged his friend and headed back. Tsanten watched Tak walk off, wondering when they would see each other again.

Blue Lagoon was quiet as usual but once they touched down, the people came out to help get the extra shacks setup. The presence of humans really did look out of place, a whole bunch of shacks, machinery and people occupying an area surrounded by lush growth of colourful life. But looking closer, it seemed as if the place was slowly blending in with its environment and becoming a part of it. Plants could be seen growing on the structures and paint was wearing off in areas which would become rusted, then eventually penetrated by vines. Getting setup took a while but it was a perfect time for the scientists to catch up on things. Tak felt like an outsider walking around in his own shack, he didn't know anyone other than his own team and he wasn't keen on getting to know them. He just got his stuff, threw it on his desk then got something to eat. While everyone was chatting with each other, Tak was lying on his bed eating his sandwich, spilling crumbs on his shirt. With his hunger killed, it was time for a nap. It was just one of those days where he didn't feel like doing anything so sleeping was the best way to kill time. He probably would've kept sleeping till the next day if he wasn't awaken by one of the scientists who he didn't bother introducing himself to.

"Hey new guy, get up." said the man as he shook the bed with his foot. Tak didn't react so he shook more vigorously.

"Hey new guy, dinner's on and you're gonna miss out."

"…what…..what time is it?"

"Time to get up, we're about to eat. You wanna join us?"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks."

Dinner was as usual, Tak just ate his meal in silence. Dr. Eileen would ask him questions for him to answer to the new people but his efforts to socialise were still minimal. He sat at the table for a while, listening to everyone's conversations. Yuki was managing to get along great with everyone and she would try to include Tak in a conversation but it was useless. Eventually Tak's boredom sent him to his desk. He took out his sketch pad and began drawing some Pandoran scenery. Hours passed and the others eventually went to sleep but it was another night of insomnia for Tak. He stayed up until his eyes were becoming dry and blood shot. He went to brush his teeth but still came back to his desk, really pushing himself until he was really ready to go to sleep. This was going to be a long night.

"Get the fuck up now! Get up get up get up!" screamed a man right in Tak's ear as he failed to hear the first wake up call. The sergeant ripped off his blanket, pulled him from the bed onto the floor and kicked him. It was time for Dr. Eileen's team to be briefed on the rules of Blue Lagoon, not that it was that different from other places. This could've have happened the moment they got here, but any opportunity to make life hell for scientists, the mercs would take, and an extremely early wake up was perfect. Tak slowly opened his eyes as a slight pain in his leg kicked in. He curled up and rubbed his leg where it hurt, the men wouldn't give him a break.

"Rise and shine princess! Let's go!"

They pulled him up and pushed him back onto his bed, hitting the back of his head on the upper bunk. As Tak sat on his bed, rubbing the back of his head to numb the pain, all he wanted to do was destroy the guy standing right in front of him. Tak instantly recognized him as one of Terry's goons. The rage built up within him but now wasn't the time.

"Good! Now that I've got your attention, we can start! Welcome to Blue Lagoon. As much of a shithole this place is, it's also extremely dangerous, so open your fucken ears and listen to what I have to say! You will not leave the area unless given permission. If you do, you must be accompanied at all times."

Tak was tired and decided to lean against one of the beams of the bunk bed. Everything the guy said entered one ear and went out the other. He stared at the floor, paying no attention. The others didn't take it seriously either, and Dr. Eileen had had enough of the yelling.

"You don't have to yell, this isn't the army and we're not cadets. We can hear you just fine, so cut the tough guy shit already."

"...What was that? I didn't hear you so say it again..."

The man grabbed her by her throat and got right in her face.

"You got something to say to us?"

"...No..."

"Then shut the fuck up!"

He released her harshly and made his point to not annoy him. And so began their time at Blue Lagoon. The beautiful surroundings and getting to work on new stuff was a good change, but the mercs made life tough. Not wanting to start trouble, the scientists would always have to take whatever bullshit was delivered their way. Alan's concern for Dr. Isaac grew as he would catch the mercs staring at her. Whenever he was away, Dr. Isaac would get unwanted attention. Being around aggressive, violent, desperate men who hadn't got laid in years made her extremely uncomfortable. She would cringe whenever one of them touched her. Constantly being distracted from her work was very frustrating but she put up with it. Alan sometimes would step in and ask them kindly to leave her alone and let her do her work, but it always ended with him being told to fuck off and mind his own business, or being asked what he was going to do about it. These people were impossible to reason with.

It was a warm and sunny day, Dr. Eileen had decided to help collect some samples and asked Tak to come along while the others went off to track the migration of the local Sturmbeest population. Dr. Isaac decided to stay behind and catch up on some data analysis she couldn't finish from the previous day. She wasn't comfortable being left behind even though there were some people nearby, but she got on with her work. An hour into it and she needed a break. She went to her bed and pulled out a diary which she kept hidden from the others. In it were photos she secretly printed. Some of them were of her and Alan together, others were just shots of him. She lied on her bed and looked at the photos until her peace and quiet was interrupted.

"Shouldn't you be doing your work?" asked one of Terry's Goons. She quickly hid the diary under her pillow.

"...I'm just taking a break..."

"So then you won't mind me talking to you right?"

"Um...I guess not."

There was an intense awkward silence but the creep wouldn't leave her alone.

"Hey come on now, relax. I just want to talk to you. You probably never been around a guy like me huh?...Do I scare you?...You don't wanna answer my questions? Come on now what's up with that?"

"Um...I really should get back to work."

She tried to get up and leave but the man grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back.

"Whoa whoa whoa where you going? Sit down, sit down."

"No I really need to go."

"You're on your break right?"

"yeah but I ne-"

"You got lots of time, you can finish that later."

"I'm actually behind in work so please, just let me go."

Even after asking kindly he wouldn't let go. She tried harder to break his grip but he wasn't giving up. She had enough.

"Just fucken let me go!" she yelled as she hit him in the face. There was another silence before the man unleashed his anger onto her. He got up and back handed her across the face, then grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against a shelf.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing! You hit me bitch? You hit me?"

He then forced her onto her bed and punched her in face multiple times before tearing her clothes off. Dr. Isaac yelled but there was no one to hear. She struggled with all she had, pushing his face away and trying to get him off but it was no good. He hit her once more.

"Shut the fuck up bitch!"

He turned her over onto her stomach, unzipped his pants and tried to rape her. She tried to stop it again but this time she received a punch to the back of the head. Nearly knocking her out, it blurred her vision and all she could see was the bed opposite hers. She helplessly cried and moaned in pain as the ruthless man had his way with her. She still tried to move her arms but she just had them harshly twisted behind her back. Crying out loud would just inflict more pain on her so she helplessly took it. The pillow soaked her blood and tears. Once the man was done, he grabbed her by her hair and made sure no one would know what he had done.

"Listen to me you little whore, you tell anyone what we got up to, and I'll fucken kill you."

And with that he pushed her head into the pillow, got dressed and went outside, leaving Dr. Isaac lifelessly lying on the bed. She slowly pulled the sheets over herself, curled up into a ball and cried.


End file.
